A ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement rattled Israel’s airspace Tuesday, landing near Ben Gurion Airport. Panic surged, flights paused, and a million Israelis took shelter underground.
Tension in the region has been running hot for weeks. But few expected a missile from Yemen — over 1,600 km away — to touch ground near Israel’s primary international gateway. That’s exactly what happened.
The Israeli military says it intercepted the missile “in the vicinity” of the airport. But eyewitness accounts, video footage, and reports from Ynet and Times of Israel suggest the missile may have reached deeper than officials first admitted.
Sirens, Screens, Shelters: A Nation on High Alert
When the first sirens blared through Tel Aviv, panic was instant. Streets emptied. Shoppers ran. Kids were pulled from playgrounds.
Just seconds before, residents received push notifications warning them of an incoming long-range missile. For many, that 60-second head start meant the difference between being in a kitchen or in a concrete shelter.
Some didn’t even get that.
Ynet reported more than a million people rushed to shelters, covering Tel Aviv, central regions, and even parts of Jerusalem.
The missile didn’t just rattle nerves. Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international hub, halted all departures and arrivals for over an hour. Flights circled in holding patterns or diverted. Travelers were herded into fortified zones.
Did the Missile Slip Through the Iron Dome?
The IDF stated the projectile was intercepted — but online footage tells a murkier story. One viral clip showed a fireball lighting up the sky, followed by a low boom. It didn’t look like a clean interception.
The Iron Dome and its longer-range cousin, the Arrow, are built to detect and neutralize threats from Gaza, Lebanon, and even Iran. But Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Ansarullah group firing into Israel? That’s a longer arc and a different game.
Israeli defense sources later added that the missile was “of significant range” and that “an examination is underway to determine the point of interception.”
No Injuries, But Not Without Damage
There were no injuries reported, according to early statements from Israeli police and Magen David Adom. No major physical damage either.
But that doesn’t mean it was harmless.
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Daily life across central Israel was disrupted for hours.
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Commercial flights were grounded or rerouted, affecting business and tourism.
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Psychological distress, particularly in children and the elderly, spiked sharply, according to Health Ministry mental health lines.
One Tel Aviv resident said it plainly: “We’re used to sirens from the south. Yemen? That’s new. That’s scary.”
Why Yemen? Why Now?
Ansarullah’s role in the Israel-Hamas war has grown significantly since October 2023. The group, backed by Iran, sees itself as part of the anti-Israel “resistance axis” — alongside Hezbollah and certain Iraqi militias.
Tuesday’s missile wasn’t their first attempt, but it was arguably their most successful to date.
The message seems to be clear: Israeli skies are no longer safe, even from afar.
Previous Ansarullah Missile Attempts Toward Israel (Since Oct 2023)
| Date | Missile Launched From | Interception Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2023 | Yemen | Red Sea (US Navy intercepted) | No damage |
| Dec 25, 2023 | Yemen | Southern Israel | Intercepted |
| Mar 10, 2024 | Yemen | Central Israel | Intercepted mid-air |
| May 13, 2025 | Yemen | Tel Aviv Airport Area | Landed nearby |
For a group previously focused on Saudi targets, this marks a serious geographical and strategic shift.
Airport Chaos and Airline Fallout
For air travelers, Tuesday afternoon turned upside down real fast.
Ben Gurion Airport, which processes more than 70,000 passengers daily, went into lockdown mode. Flight boards froze. Security personnel rushed travelers into safe zones. An incoming Lufthansa flight was diverted to Cyprus.
Even after the airspace reopened, the ripple effects continued. International carriers scrambled to revise routes. Insurance costs are likely to spike for commercial operators over Israeli airspace.
One airline executive anonymously admitted: “If Tel Aviv isn’t safe from long-range missiles, we’ll need to rethink everything.”
More Questions Than Answers
The event left both military experts and the public with a string of unanswered questions.
Was this a one-off, or the beginning of a new pattern?
Did Israel’s Iron Dome system misfire or miscalculate?
And perhaps most pressing: can Yemen — a country battered by war and famine — really reach Tel Aviv with precision ballistic weapons?
The answers, if they come, won’t be fast. But the mood on the ground in Israel shifted. This wasn’t just another warning siren. This was a geopolitical alarm bell — loud and clear.
