A drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels breached Israel’s advanced air defenses on Sunday, striking the southern Ramon Airport, according to the Israeli military. The strike caused glass windows to shatter, injured one person, and temporarily shut down the airport’s airspace.
The damage at Ramon Airport appeared to be minimal, and flights resumed within hours of the incident. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, reports AP/UNB.
The strike came after Israel’s airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several senior officials, marking a significant escalation in the nearly two-year conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed rebel group.
On Sunday, one of several Houthi drones launched from Yemen breached Israel’s air defenses, hitting the passenger terminal at Ramon International Airport, near the resort city of Eilat. The attack forced a diversion of flights over southern Israel and resulted in minor shrapnel injuries to a 63-year-old man.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree confirmed that the group had launched eight drones at Israel, stating that the attack was intended to demonstrate the rebels’ determination to escalate their military operations and continue supporting Gaza. He further warned that Israeli airports “are unsafe and will be continuously targeted.”
The Israeli military reported intercepting three Houthi drones near the border with Egypt, and an investigation is underway to determine why the fourth drone, which struck Ramon Airport, was not recognised as a threat.
