Drone Strike Hits Israel’s Ramon International Airport
TEL AVIV — The sound of sirens blared through the air as a drone launched from Yemen by the Houthi group struck Israel’s southern Ramon International Airport on Sunday, causing chaos and panic as flights were grounded, the Israeli military reported.
Authorities revealed that the Houthis had launched multiple drones, with some intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace, but one managed to hit the passenger hall of the airport near Eilat. The Israel Airports Authority confirmed the strike, highlighting the vulnerability of the country’s aviation infrastructure.
Amidst the chaos, one person was lightly injured by shrapnel, according to Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom, underscoring the danger posed by such attacks.
This incident is not the first time the Houthis have targeted Israeli aviation facilities. In May, a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s main airport, injuring four people and leading to a suspension of flights to Israel for months. In response, Israel retaliated by launching a strike that destroyed Sanaa’s main airport in Yemen.
While the Houthis have not yet officially claimed responsibility for Sunday’s strike, their track record suggests they may do so in due time. This attack comes on the heels of an Israeli airstrike on Sanaa that killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet members, marking a significant escalation in hostilities.
Following the strike on their leadership, the Houthis vowed to intensify their attacks on Israel and shipping routes in the Red Sea, raising concerns about the potential for further violence in the region.
In a troubling development, the Houthis have recently deployed cluster munitions in missile attacks on Israel, a tactic that poses a significant challenge to interception efforts. With Israel gearing up for a new ground offensive in its conflict with Hamas, the threat of successful strikes looms large. — Agencies
