JERUSALEM. A missile fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels landed in central Israel early Sunday, prompting air raid sirens at Ben Gurion International Airport. The rocket, which exploded in an open area, caused no reported casualties or significant damage, though footage aired by Israeli media showed passengers running for shelter at the airport.
Normal operations resumed shortly after the sirens sounded, but a fire broke out in a rural area nearby. Local news outlets displayed images of what appeared to be missile fragments, including one that fell on an escalator in a train station in Modiin, a central town.
The Israeli military reported that multiple attempts were made to intercept the missile using the country’s advanced air defense systems. It remains unclear whether any of the interceptors succeeded, as the missile seemed to have fragmented in midair. The sound of explosions heard in the area was attributed to the interception efforts.
This missile attack is part of a broader pattern, as the Houthis have repeatedly targeted Israel with drones and missiles since the start of the war in Gaza. However, nearly all previous missile attempts have been intercepted before reaching Israel’s borders, usually over the Red Sea. In July, a Houthi-launched, Iranian-made drone struck Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding 10 others. Israel responded with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including the strategic port city of Hodeidah.
Following Sunday’s attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that a retaliatory military response could be forthcoming. “The Houthis should have known by now that we exact a heavy price for any attempt to harm us,” Netanyahu remarked during a Cabinet meeting. “Anyone who needs a reminder is invited to visit the port of Hodeidah.”
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, confirmed that the missile targeted “a military site” in the vicinity of Tel Aviv. The Houthis have also been involved in attacking commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea, portraying the assaults as part of a blockade on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians. Most of the vessels targeted in these attacks have had no direct ties to Israel.
On Sunday, the European Union’s naval mission, Operation Aspides, reported that salvage operations had commenced to tow a Greek-flagged tanker, the Sounion, which had been burning for weeks following a Houthi attack in the Red Sea.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ incursion into southern Israel on October 7, has had far-reaching consequences, leading to broader regional tensions. Iran and its network of militant allies—including the Houthis, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Hamas—have been attacking Israeli and U.S. targets, provoking retaliatory strikes from Israel and its Western allies. These escalations have raised concerns about the possibility of a wider war in the Middle East.
Flights into and out of Israel have been canceled multiple times since the war began, reflecting the economic strain the conflict has placed on the country. Iran, which provides substantial support to Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah, has publicly declared its backing for these groups, framing their actions as solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
