A missile launched by rebels supported by Iran in Yemen briefly interrupted flights and suburban traffic at Israel’s main international airport after an impact left smoke and caused panic among the passengers.
THE Houthiwhich are recognized by the United States as a terrorist organization, has struck Israel throughout War in Gaza in solidarity with the Palestinians. The attack on Ben -Berion International Airport occurred a few hours before the best Israeli ministers in the office voted on the opportunity to intensify the country’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the army began to call thousands of reserves in anticipation of a wider operation in Gaza, officials said.
The launch of missiles on Sunday sparked air raid sirens in several parts of Israel. A plume of smoke was visible at the airport, according to images shared by the Israeli media. Passengers were heard shouting and jostling to hide.
It was not immediately clear if the projectile, which landed in a field near an access road leading to the parking lots of the airport, was the missile or its fragments, or a interceptor of Israel’s air defense systems. He left a deep crater in the ground and a neighboring road was strewn with dirt.
Ohad zwigenberg / ap
Israel promises to respond to the airport attack
Police said air, road and rail traffic had been interrupted as a result of the attack. Traffic resumed after about an hour, the authority of Israel’s airports said. The paramedical service of Israel Magen, David Adom, said that four people had been slightly injured.
Military spokesperson Houthi Brig. General Yahya Saree said in a video press release that the group had drawn a hypersonic ballistic missile at the airport.
The Houthi rebels have been shooting Israel since the war with Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas activists attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, mainly civilians and took 251 other hostages. Israel says that 59 remain in Gaza, although around 35 are dead. Most of the Houthi missiles were mainly intercepted, although some have penetrated Israeli anti -missile defense systems, causing damage.
Israel retaliated against the rebels in Yemen and the United States, the best ally of Israel, also launched a strike campaign in March against them.
The Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz proceeded to the attack for the attack of the airport: “Whoever hurts us, we will harm them.”
Israeli ministers will vote on the widening of the war in Gaza
An Israeli official said that the influential security firm would meet on Sunday evening to vote on the plans to extend the fights. A military official said the country called thousands of reserves. The two officials spoke under the cover of anonymity in accordance with regulations.
The Israeli Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, in an interview with the Israeli army radio, said that he wanted to see a “powerful” expansion of war, but has not revealed details on what the new plans would imply.
“We have to increase the intensity and continue until we get a total victory. We have to win a total victory,” he said. He demanded that Israel bombard “food and electricity supplies” in Gaza.
The plans to degenerate the fighting in Gaza more than 18 months after the war, it broke out as a humanitarian crisis in the territory was deepening.
As part of his efforts to put pressure on the Hamas militant group to negotiate Israel’s conditions for a new ceasefire, Israel in early March interrupted the entrance to Gaza. This plunged the territory of 2.3 million people in what would be the worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the war.
An eight-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas who brought an lull in the fighting and released from Israeli hostages collapsed in March. Israel resumed its strikes in Gaza on March 18 and captured bands of the coastal enclave. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the fighting resumed, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Hamas.
The fighting in Gaza drag
At least seven Palestinians, including two parents and their two children, aged 2 and 4, were killed in Israeli air strikes in the south and the center of Gaza, Palestinian doctors said. Asked about strikes, the Israeli army had no direct comments.
The Israeli army said on Sunday that two soldiers had been killed in combat to Gaza, bringing the number of soldiers killed since the fighting resumed in March.
Since the start of the war, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 52,000 people in Gaza, including many women and children according to Palestinian health officials, who do not distinguish between fighters and civilians in their count.
The fighting has moved more than 90% of the Gaza population, often several times. Hunger has been widespread and the food shortage triggered looting.
