Israel's Prime Minister, Netanyahu, promises retaliation against Yemen's Houthi rebels and Iran, following a missile attack.
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Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, has vowed a robust response against Houthi rebels and their Iranian backers following a missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport. The attack, originating from Yemen, sent panic rippling through the terminal building, causing minor injuries to four people.
A missile, allegedly fired by the Houthi military, landed nearby, leaving a cloud of smoke in its wake and temporarily halting flights and ground transportation at the airport. International carriers have temporarily cancelled flights to Tel Aviv due to the incident.
"The onslaught by the Houthis is instigated by Iran," Netanyahu stated on Twitter. "Israel will respond to the Houthi attack on our main airport, and at a time and place of our choosing, we will answer their Iranian terrorist masterminds."
Air raid sirens blared across Israel, and footage captured passengers screaming and hastily seeking shelter. The attack occurred just before senior Israeli ministers were to vote on intensifying military operations in Gaza, and as the army prepared to mobilize reserves in anticipation of a broader operation in the region.
Iran's Defence Minister later told a state TV broadcaster that Iran would target American and Israeli bases, interests, and forces if provoked by the US or Israel.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, claimed that the group had fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at the airport. In response to what they described as Israeli aggression in Gaza, the group pledged to impose an unprecedented air blockade on Israel, specifically targeting airports, including Ben Gurion Airport. They urged international airlines to suspend flights to Israeli airports to safeguard their aircraft and passengers.
In a statement on their Telegram channel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) only attributed the missile's evasion of Israeli defenses to a "technical issue" with the interceptor launched toward the missile. The IDF also reported no malfunctions in the detection procedure, interception systems, or Homefront Command alert mechanisms.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated as Iran continues to support the Houthi rebels, which have been firing missiles at Israel since the ongoing conflict in Gaza began. Israel has previously retaliated against the Houthis and the US and UK have launched strikes against the group after they began attacking international shipping, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the conflict with Hamas.
- The escalating war between Israel and the Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, has sparked panic in the airline industry, with international carriers temporarily cancelling flights to Tel Aviv.
- The incident at Ben Gurion Airport, where a missile attack originating from Yemen caused minor injuries and disrupted flights, has been attributed to the Houthi military by Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Netanyahu announced that Israel would respond to the Houthi attack, suggesting a possible further escalation in war-and-conflicts, especially given the political tensions between Israel, Iran, and the US.
- The IDF reported a "technical issue" with the interceptor launched toward the missile that landed near Ben Gurion Airport, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Israel's defense systems in the face of increasingly advanced weaponry.
- In response to potential Israeli aggression and US actions, Iran's Defence Minister threatened to target American and Israeli bases, interests, and forces, further fueling the ongoing general-news story regarding war-and-conflicts and politics in the region.
