Missile from Iran-backed Houthis hit Israel's busiest airport
Iran-backed Houthis launched another missile towards Israel on Sunday, with the Israeli military reporting an impact near Ben-Gurion Airport.
Iran-backed Houthis launched another missile towards Israel on Sunday, with the Israeli military reporting an impact near Ben-Gurion Airport.
It comes as the Iran-backed group continues almost daily aerial attacks on the Jewish state amid the ongoing war in Gaza, in spite of warnings from the US that Iran will be held accountable for the Houthis' military actions.
A statement from the Israeli military said: "Following the sirens that sounded in a number of areas in Israel, several attempts were made to intercept the missile launched from Yemen. A fall was identified in the area of Ben-Gurion Airport. The incident is under review."
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz suggested there will be a military response.
"He who harms us is harmed sevenfold," he said on Sunday.
Data from the Israeli military in January said that 40 surface-to-surface missiles have been fired towards Israel. Until that point, there had been one fallen projectile and two partial interceptions.
Another 320 UAVs had been fired towards Israel, over 100 of which intercepted with two effective hits until that date. The remainder fell in open areas, failed to reach Israeli territory or caused no significant damage.
Former minister of defense, Benny Gantz, was quick to point the blame at Iran which has long backed the group financially and militarily.
"It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility," he wrote on X.
The Houthis began strikes on Israel amid the Gaza War in a bid to force Israel into a ceasefire with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza.
The Yemeni militia has not only launched air strikes on Israel, but launched a maritime blockade in the Red Sea region, which has since seen 174 attacks on the US Navy and 145 attacks on global shipping, according to the US State Department.
At least three international seamen have been killed in attacks.
Last week, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran had continued to support Yemen's armed Houthi movement despite an explicit warning from Washington and vowed unspecified consequences for Tehran.
Pete Hegseth wrote on X: "Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the US Military is capable of — and you were warned."
"You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing."
Iran maintains that it does not direct the Houthi actions in the Red Sea region. However, the Houthis began targeting international commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim nations to blockade Israeli trade in November 2023.
In March, Khamenei responded to the same threats of retaliation for Houthi actions from US President Donald Trump. "The Yemeni nation has its own motivation and the resistance groups in the region have their own motivations. Iran doesn't need proxies," Khamenei said.
