On Sunday, a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, just 75 meters from Terminal 3, the country’s busiest international terminal. The missile bypassed four layers of air defence and landed in a grove close to an access road within the airport’s secure perimeter, creating a 25-meter deep crater. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) attempted to intercept the missile multiple times, but all failed. Although the terminal was not directly hit, the attack caused panic among passengers inside it. At least eight people were reported injured, according to Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA). A military aftermath video showed officers standing near the crater, with the airport's control tower in the background. 

In the video, Yair Hezroni, the police chief of the central district, is heard saying, “You can see the area just behind us: a crater was formed here, several dozen metres (yards) wide and several dozen metres deep.”

Authorities have initiated a comprehensive investigation into the breach of Israel’s air defence and the missile’s impact near a highly sensitive area. Israel's air defence system, Iron Dome, is designed to intercept short-range rockets, mortars, and shells at distances ranging from 4km to 70km from their launch points. This system plays a crucial role in protecting the country from missile threats. After the missile strike, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz delivered a strong warning, saying, "Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold."

Israel has not responded with retaliatory strikes on Yemen so far, despite ongoing Houthi attacks, as the United States leads a broader military effort against the Iran-backed group. Houthi leaders have celebrated the attack as proof of their ability to carry out long-range strikes. As The Times of Israel reported, Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stated that their group has "no red lines" in its conflict with Israel and highlighted their capacity to target sensitive Israeli locations. Additionally, Houthi media chief Nasser al-Din Omar warned international airlines to avoid flying to or from Israel, claiming it would put aircraft safety at risk. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised several retaliatory attacks on Yemen's Houthi rebels after this incident happened near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. In a video message released soon after the attack, Netanyahu stated, “We operated against them in the past and we will operate in the future.” He added, “It’s not ‘bang — that’s it, but there will be bangs,” the Prime Minister confirmed.

In a video message, Netanyahu stated that his cabinet would meet later in the evening to plan the next phase of the Gaza offensive, and reiterated that the military operation is aimed at “defeating Hamas.” “We are focused on two missions,” he stated. “One, to bring our hostages back. Two, to defeat Hamas. Hamas will not remain -- you have to understand this,” the Israeli Prime Minister emphasised, adding, “In wars, you reach a decision -- victory.”