On Sunday morning, a ballistic missile launched from Yemen targeted Ben Gurion Airport, east of Tel Aviv, causing heightened tensions in the region. According to reports from Channel 13, the missile was intercepted by the Israeli army over Lod Airport, which lies between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Although it was successfully intercepted, the missile fell in an uninhabited area southeast of the airport, averting potential disaster.
The missile, which traveled approximately two thousand kilometers, had a flight time of about 15 minutes. However, there were significant delays in the Israeli military's response, raising questions about the efficiency of their air defense systems. The Israeli correspondent highlighted concerns regarding the timing of the missile's detection and whether it was too late for a successful interception. This incident has prompted the Israeli Air Force to launch an investigation into the interception failure, despite their previous successes in neutralizing threats from both Iranian attacks and Houthi missile launches.
The Houthi group has claimed responsibility for the missile attack, framing it as a 'qualitative' military operation in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Hodeidah. This escalation marks a continuation of hostilities, as evidenced by a previous incident in July, where a Houthi drone attack resulted in casualties in central Tel Aviv. The ongoing conflict underscores the volatile nature of the region and the increasing threats posed by long-range missile capabilities.
