Houthis launch dual attacks on Israel: Ben Gurion Airport among targets

Shafaq News/ Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) launched two attacks on Israel, including a ballistic missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport, the group announced on Thursday.

In a statement, Yahya Saree, the group’s military spokesperson, said a Zulfiqar missile “successfully” hit Israel’s main airport near Yaffa, forcing mass evacuations and disrupting air traffic for nearly an hour.

While a loud explosion was reported across central Israel, Channel 12 confirmed that multiple incoming flights to Ben Gurion were rerouted midair and that airspace was temporarily closed following the impact.

According to Israeli reports, this marks the eleventh Houthi missile to trigger sirens in Israel since early May and the 37th since hostilities in Gaza reignited in March.

At the same time, Saree reported the launch of two Yaffa drones aimed at targets in Haifa and Tel Aviv, which he described as “vital enemy infrastructure.”

The group framed the attacks as retaliation for Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, where more than 53,650 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.

The announcement follows Ansarallah’s May 19 declaration of a naval blockade on Haifa Port, where the Houthis warned all shipping companies with vessels currently docked in or en route to Haifa to consider the port a military target.