A missile fired from Yemen has hit an area within the perimeter of Tel Aviv airport. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack, which has left four people lightly wounded.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack and said they were unable to intercept the ballistic missile that hit the Ben Gurion airport area.
The army said it made several attempts to intercept the missile launched from Yemen.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed retribution for the strike: “Whoever harms us we will harm them sevenfold.”
Last week, Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a missile at northern Israel.
Houthi rebels have been firing at Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians, since the war with Gaza erupted on 7 October, 2023. The missiles have mostly been intercepted, although some have penetrated Israel’s missile defence systems, causing damage.
Iran denies arming the rebels, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in sea shipments heading to Yemen for the Shiite Houthi rebels despite a United Nations arms embargo.
The US is currently targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel.
Last week, a US air strike hit a prison holding African migrants in Yemen, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others.
Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.
Video editor • Rory Elliott Armstrong
