Jerusalem
CNN
–
The failed intercept of missiles fired from Yemen forced Israel to temporarily close major international airports on Sunday, exposing the continued ability of the Hauti rebels to attack distant targets despite the persistent US military campaign.
Following Israeli forces said it was “some attempts” during intercept, flights stopped for about 30 minutes at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday morning. “The results of the intercept are under review,” the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said.
The military fired long-range arrow interceptors with incoming missiles, an IDF spokesperson said. The US also has advanced THAAD anti-missile systems deployed in Israel.
The Iran-backed Hooti rebel group in Yemen argued responsibility for the attack and said it was carried out “in denial of (Israel) genocide” against the people of Gaza.
This strike appears to be the first time an Israeli international airport has successfully targeted a group’s target.
“The US and Israeli defense systems have failed to intercept missiles intended for Ben Gurion Airport,” group spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement, adding that the airport targeted “hypersensitive ballistic missiles.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to further attacks on the Houtis.
“We’ve acted before, we’ll act in the future too. I can’t elaborate all of that. The US works with us to work against them.
In a later post to X, he also promised to answer Iran. “Israel responds to Hooty’s attacks on our major airports.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz warned that the response would be “seven times more.”
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said Iran will respond to any attacks against it. News from Mehr, who belongs to the nation, quoted it as saying, “If we are being attacked or war is being imposed on us, we will respond with force.”
“We attack their interests and foundations. We are not reluctant and we see no restrictions in this regard,” Nasirzadeh told Iranian television. “We are not enemies of our neighbours, they are our brothers, but our American bases in their soil will be our target.”
Israeli security ministers were called on Sunday afternoon to discuss the incident, Israeli officials said.
The incident marks a major security breaches at one of the country’s most heavily protected sites, and despite its exaggerated missile defense system, it could raise questions about Israel’s ability to intercept such attacks.
Trains with the airport have also been stopped, and police have asked the public to refrain from arriving in the area.
Photos from the scene showed missiles impacting the airport site, scattering the road towards the main terminal. Videos shared on social media appeared to show the effects of missiles at the airport and clouds of black smoke rising from the strike.
A spokesman for the Lufthansa Group told CNN that Lufthansa, Switzerland, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings have suspended flights until Tuesday, May 6th.
Amir Bah Shalom, a military analyst for Israeli Army Radio, said the missiles demonstrated both incredible accuracy and their ability to penetrate Israeli air defenses.
“They are impressive because they are very accurate and are very accurate when they are on sale from 2,000 kilometres,” Barshalom told CNN. “And you have to take this threat seriously. We need to see if it’s our mistake, or if there’s a new kind of threat here.”
Iran is developing long-range missiles that can be piloted to avoid air defense, Bar Shalom said, but it remains unclear whether such advanced technology has been transferred to the Housys. He added that the troops will analyze all aspects of the failed intercept attempt, including when the sensor detects an incoming projectile, when it identifies it, and how the interceptors came close to the missile.
“There are so many parameters that can be related to the outcome that needs to be analyzed,” he said.
Hamas, a Palestinian extremist group, praised the attack, calling Yemen “the Palestinian twins “continually ignore the most cruel forces of oppression and continue to refuse submission or defeat despite the face of the attack.”
The strike on Sunday marks the third day in a row, with the missile launch from Yemen to Israel from Yemen, according to the IDF.
Houthis claims their irritating missiles have stealth technology, 2,150 km (1,335 miles) range, high maneuverability, and can travel to Mach 16 speeds.
Since the Israeli war with Hamas in Gaza began in October 2023, the country has been fired from missiles and rockets from Hezbollah, Lebanon, and Houtis, Yemen, who claim to attack Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians. Almost all projectiles are intercepted by Israeli air defense.
However, in December, the Houthi missile collided with Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv after a failed intercept, causing more than dozens of injuries. Houthis said it had fired a polar ballistic missile labelled “Palestine 2” at Israeli forces’ targets in the Jaffa region. And in July, Houthis claimed responsibility for a fatal drone attack in Tel Aviv. This is the first such strike by the group against the city.
Israel launched several strikes against Yemen’s Houtsis in January, including targets at power plants and sea ports.
However, the US military has been implementing much broader strikes against Yemen’s targets in recent weeks, aiming to undermine groups whose attacks on transport in the Red Sea have significantly disrupted global trade.
The campaign also aims to halt launches targeted at Israel. It is also intended for commercial and US Navy vessels operating in the Middle East. Earlier last month, our costs were approaching $1 billion in just three weeks, including the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers and the use of hundreds of millions of dollars in high-end ammunition.
However, disrupting the ability of the Houtis to launch ballistic missiles against Israel has largely failed. The country’s proud missile defense system regularly intercepts launches, but some have passed through.