![Heavy duty machines remove debris after Yemen’s Houthi group attack the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 04, 2025. [Saeed Qaq - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AA-20250504-37842201-37842187-YEMENS_HOUTHI_GROUP_HIT_BEN_GURION_AIRPORT_IN_TEL_AVIV.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
Yemen’s armed forces said yesterday that they had launched a hypersonic ballistic missile towards Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv in central Israel, which was reportedly intercepted by Israeli defence systems earlier in the day, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.
The missile launch, which was in response to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, activated air raid sirens across large areas of central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
“The operation successfully achieved its goal, forcing millions of [Israelis] … to flee to shelters and halting airport operations,” military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement, aired by Yemen’s Al-Masirah satellite channel.
Saree said the armed forces also carried out “three drone launches against three vital Israeli targets” in the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv, Ashdod, and Eilat.
“We are working to impose a complete ban on air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport after successfully imposing a partial ban,” he said, adding that the Yemeni armed forces will continue their counterattacks until the Israeli “aggression” against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli occupation army said in a statement that it successfully intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that the missile was spotted heading for Ben Gurion Airport before it was intercepted, adding that the airport was temporarily closed for takeoffs and landings.
It added that since 18 March, 49 missiles have been fired from Yemen at Israel.