A ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on Sunday morning, lightly to moderately wounding six people, and disrupting takeoffs and arrivals.
The attack triggered air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Shfela/Judaean Foothills. Several attempts were made to intercept the missile, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The U.S.-made THAAD system attempted to intercept the missile but failed, as did Israel’s Arrow system, Channel 14 military correspondent Hillel Bitton Rosen reported. Authorities are investigating whether the blast near Terminal 3 was caused by a direct hit, missile fragments or interceptor debris. Police bomb squads and security forces remain on scene.
Magen David Adom updated its casualty figures on Sunday afternoon, reporting that six people were treated and transported to hospitals: a man in his 50s in light to moderate condition with limb injuries; two women, ages 54 and 38, in light condition due to blast-related trauma; a 64-year-old man lightly wounded by flying debris; and two women, aged 22 and 34, who were hurt while running for shelter.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that “there will be blows” in response to the attack. “We are acting against them,” Netanyahu said of previous IDF military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. “We have acted in the past, and we will act in the future. I cannot detail everything. The U.S., in coordination with us, is also acting against them. It’s not a one-and-done, but there will be blows,” vowed the Israeli premier.