IDF downs missile from Yemen; Houthis claim to target Ben Gurion Airport
No injuries or damage in attack that set off sirens across central region overnight; Iran-backed rebels say they fired two rockets, of which one apparently fell short
A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military said early Sunday morning.
There were no reports of direct injuries or damage in the attack, though the Magen David Adom emergency service said one person was lightly injured while dashing to a shelter.
Sirens had sounded across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, and the Shfela and Sharon regions, sending nearly a million residents scrambling to bomb shelters. Preceding the sirens by some five minutes, an early warning was issued to residents, alerting civilians of the long-range missile attack via a push notification on their phones.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later said the group targeted Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv with two ballistic missiles, vowing to carry on with the strikes until the “siege is lifted” on Gaza, where Israel has been fighting a 19-month war against Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces said air defenses successfully intercepted a missile at around 2 a.m. The reason for the discrepancy in the number of missiles was unclear, but suggested that one had fallen short.
Takeoffs and landings at the airport were briefly paused during the attack, a normal protocol, according to the Israel Airports Authority.
Video shared on social media purported to show the interception.
אחד היירוטים המטורפים שנתפס בעקבות טיל החותי"..???????? pic.twitter.com/Mx0GsajudU
— מה חדש. What's new❓ (@Gloz111) May 17, 2025
On Friday, the military said it struck the Hodeida and Salif ports in Yemen, claiming that the Houthis were using the two facilities to transfer weapons. The Houthi-run health ministry said at least one person was killed and 11 were wounded in the airstrikes.
The Houthi administration said those strikes “will be met with a painful response,” according to the Houthi-run Saba news agency.
Two weeks ago, a Houthi missile slipped through air defenses and landed in the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six people, none of them seriously. A slew of international carriers promptly halted services to Israel, though some have since said they will resume operations.
Israel responded to that attack with strikes on Sanaa airport, causing an estimated $500 million worth of damage. On Saturday, some flights to the Yemeni airport resumed.
The Houthis have targeted Israel with missiles and drones throughout the war in Gaza, saying they were doing so in solidarity with Hamas, while also targeting commercial and naval vessels on the Red Sea. The attacks have raised the Houthis’ profile at home and internationally as the last member of Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” capable of launching regular attacks on Israel.
Their attacks on the shipping route drew retaliatory strikes from the United States. In mid-March, the US military under President Donald Trump launched an intensified campaign of daily airstrikes targeting the Houthis. The two sides eventually reached a deal to halt the US campaign in return for the Houthis halting their attacks on shipping.
However, the US-Houthis deal did not address the rebels’ missile and drone attacks on Israel.
Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after a truce of several weeks, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 35 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
The Times of Israel Community.