Houthi Missile Hits Near Tel Aviv Airport

A missile launched from Yemen on Sunday struck central Israel near the main terminal of the international airport near Tel Aviv. The strike resulted in a temporary suspension of flights but no reports of fatalities.

The Israeli military said that several efforts were made to intercept the missile and that an impact was identified in the area of Ben-Gurion Airport. The military added that the episode was under review.

Israel’s emergency ambulance service said it was treating two people who were injured by the blast and a third person who was injured while running for shelter.

Videos and images posted on social media showed a large plume of dark smoke rising from an open area near Terminal 3, the main international flight terminal, as sirens wailed and people ran for cover.

A road near the airport appeared to be covered in dirt and shrapnel.

In a statement shortly before the missile attack, the Israel Airport Authority said that 422 international flights were scheduled to arrive or depart on Sunday. After the strike, the airport authority said flights were suspended according to protocol, but that the airport was expected to start functioning again soon.

The Iranian-backed Houthi militia, which has been firing missiles at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, resumed its launches after Israel ended a cease-fire in its war there in mid-March. The Israeli military has managed to intercept most of the missiles, though missile fragments have frequently fallen across Israel.

Myra Noveck, Adam Rasgon and Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting.