Failed interception - For first time since Oct 7, Houthi missile hits Israel, landing near Ben Gurion Airport

On Sunday morning air raid sirens sounded across central Israel, from Jerusalem to Netanya, after a ballistic missile launch from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen was detected. 

BREAKING: Sirens going off right now in Tel Aviv and much of central and northern Israel — another ballistic missile inbound from
Yemen — please pray. @all_israel_news @thejoshuafund pic.twitter.com/DsyngBqSfJ

— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) May 4, 2025

Shortly after, explosions were heard in the area of Gush Dan, and videos and pictures uploaded to social media showed the missile had apparently made impact near the Ben Gurion International Airport. 

The IDF released a statement saying, “Following the sirens that sounded in a number of areas in Israel, several attempts were made to intercept a missile that was launched from Yemen. Reports were received regarding a fallen projectile in central Israel, the details are under review.” 

Later, the military clarified that the interception efforts were unsuccessful, and the missile hit near the Ben Gurion Airport. 

A report from Channel 14 claimed that both the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and the Israeli Arrow anti-ballistic missile systems failed to intercept the incoming missile.

Pieces of shrapnel were identified in several locations near the airport, including a piece which hit the awning over the entrance to the departures hall. 

Photos showed roads near the airport covered in dirt and debris from the impact of the missile. 

Magen David Adom emergency services reported several people with mild injuries following the incident, with at least two people taken to the hospital. 

Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Airports Authority's workers' committee, told Ynet, "We all entered the protected areas, there was just a plane that landed. We heard a loud explosion, a crazy boom. It was close to planes parked there, there was a lot of luck here because there was just a plane in the air.” 

Unbelievable footage.

The Houthis directly struck a field at Ben Gurion airport - Israel’s main airport.

Israel will not hit a field at the Houthis international Airport. Israel will not miss. https://t.co/mJ1LEfUeMe pic.twitter.com/4I3prE7B9G

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 4, 2025

Ben Gurion Airport is Israel’s only major international airport, making the successful targeting of the site an area of critical importance to Israel. 

With the Houthi rebels attempting to impose a sea blockade on trade with Israel through the Red Sea, the targeting of the Ben Gurion Airport is an apparent attempt to do the same with Israel’s air traffic. 

A spokesperson for the Airports Authority told the media that "an investigation is being carried out regarding a fall in the area of Ben Gurion Airport. In the usual procedure, there is a freeze on the situation and there are no landings and takeoffs. Ben Gurion Airport is expected to resume operations in the near future.” 

At the time of publication, the entrance to the airport from Highway 1, the main thoroughfare between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, was also blocked due to the missile impact. 

The Netivei Israel organization released a statement saying that "Route 1, the Ben Gurion Airport Interchange, and Route 40, El-Al Junction: All entrances to the airport are blocked.” 

After 26 ballistic missile launches from Houthi rebels in Yemen were intercepted over the past month, including several over the past few days, the impact came as a shock to many Israelis, who have become used to the repeated warnings followed by successful interceptions. 

According to a report in Maariv, Israeli military officials believe the increased tempo of attacks by the Houthis is a result of the “heavy pressure exerted by the U.S. military” on the terror group. However, at the moment, Israel reportedly has no plans to carry out any direct strikes on the Houthis in response, believing the U.S. attacks are sufficient. 

Following the missile attack, senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bahiti told the Qatari channel Al-Arabi that "the escalation will continue as long as Israel does not stop the attacks in Gaza."

"There are no red lines in our confrontation with the Zionist entity, the United States, and Britain," al-Bahiti said. "The attack on Ben Gurion Airport is evidence of our ability to strike fortified sites inside Israel."