It was a dramatic morning (Sunday) near Ben Gurion Airport, when a missile launched from Yemen by the Houthi rebels was not intercepted and exploded near the airport access road. Despite the unusual incident, the Israel Airports Authority managed to return Ben Gurion to full operation in less than 30 minutes.
During that short window, all takeoffs and landings were temporarily halted, and thorough safety sweeps were conducted in coordination with the Home Front Command, Israeli Police, bomb disposal units, and airport security teams.
Passenger Safety Above All Else
According to the CEO of Ben Gurion Airport, this was a rare event, but the security and operations systems responded swiftly and efficiently: “The airport has been operating continuously since the war began. This morning, we experienced a missile impact near the access road, but within less than 30 minutes, full flight operations resumed. Passenger safety is our top priority.”
During the event, six people were lightly to moderately injured — some by the blast wave, others while running to shelters, or by flying debris. Two others were treated for shock.
Israir Steps In: Flights Increased
In response to flight disruptions and cancellations by foreign airlines, Israir announced an immediate expansion of its flight schedule to accommodate passengers whose flights were canceled.
Additional flights:
Monday (May 5):
Tel Aviv – Larnaca: Departs 14:45
Larnaca – Tel Aviv: Departs 16:50
Tuesday (May 6):
Tel Aviv – Budapest: Departs 11:15
Budapest – Tel Aviv: Departs 14:45
Tel Aviv – Athens: Departs 14:15
Athens – Tel Aviv: Departs 17:30
Watch: The Moment of Impact
תיעוד: הטיל מתימן נופל במרחב נתב”ג, היירוט כשל pic.twitter.com/caUkYMDpLO
— איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) May 4, 2025
Six Injured, Light to Moderate Condition
MDA medics and paramedics treated six individuals: a 50-year-old man with limb injuries, two women hurt by the blast wave, a man hit by a flying object, and two other women who were slightly hurt while running to shelter. Two additional individuals were treated for anxiety.
Watch: Shrapnel Near Ben Gurion Airport
עוד תיעוד דרמטי מנתב”ג. ב”ה לא ידוע על נפגעים pic.twitter.com/0eRKSfn84N
— מנדי ריזל | Mendi Rizel (@mendi_rizel) May 4, 2025
The Ministry of Transport stated that the Minister is closely monitoring developments and preparing for potential future threats. Coordination is ongoing with security forces, the IDF, and the Israel Airports Authority to ensure Ben Gurion continues functioning as an active airport — even under threat.
