Houthi ballistic missile hits near Israel's biggest airport, Defence Minister vows 'sevenfold retaliation'

• TEL AVIV — A ballistic missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday after multiple interception attempts by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) failed, prompting a temporary halt in all takeoffs and landings at the country's main international airport.
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• However, the Israel Airport Authority confirmed the reopening of airspace following the temporary suspension of flight operations.
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• The missile impacted a grove adjacent to an access road within the airport's perimeter, according to the Times of Israel.
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• However, a direct hit on terminal infrastructure was averted.

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• "In the area of Ben Gurion Airport, an impact was identified," said the IDF in a statement, confirming that several attempts to intercept the missile had failed.
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• The Israeli Air Force's aerial defence units are now probing the reasons behind the unsuccessful interceptions.
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• Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the breach of Israel's air defence and the missile's impact site near one of the country's most sensitive zones.
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• Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency service, reported that eight people were injured in the attack.
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• A man in his 50s sustained light-to-moderate trauma injuries to his limbs. Two women, aged 54 and 38, were reported to be in good condition after being affected by the shockwave.
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• A 64-year-old man was lightly injured by debris, while two more women, aged 22 and 34, suffered injuries while running for shelter.
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• Two others were treated for acute anxiety. All the injured were transported to hospitals in central Israel.
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• Following the missile strike, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning: "Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold."
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• So far, Israel has refrained from launching retaliatory strikes on Yemen despite a series of Houthi attacks, as the United States leads a broader military campaign against the Iran-backed group.
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• Houthi leaders hailed the attack as a demonstration of their long-range strike capability.
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• Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told Al-Araby TV that his group has "no red lines" in its confrontation with Israel and emphasised their ability to hit sensitive Israeli targets, The Times of Israel reported.
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• Additionally, Houthi media chief Nasser al-Din Omar issued a warning to international airlines against flying to or from Israel, claiming such operations jeopardised aircraft safety.