IDF confirms Arrow 3 defense system intercepts missile; flights at Ben Gurion Airport briefly halted; no casualties reported
Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel early Thursday morning after a missile was launched from Yemen, sending over a million residents to shelters. The IDF said a single missile was successfully intercepted by the Arrow 3 missile defense system.
The alerts were triggered at 2:59 a.m. in key population centers including the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, the Sharon region and the Shfela lowlands. In response, operations at Ben Gurion International Airport were temporarily halted, and several flights—
Magen David Adom emergency services reported no direct hits or casualties, though one man sustained injuries while making his way to a shelter. Police officers were dispatched to search for any remnants of military ordnance in potential impact zones.
A similar incident occurred early Sunday, also prompting nationwide sirens and ending with a successful interception. That missile attack came just minutes after Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was announced as the runner-up at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.
The Israeli Air Force launched strikes last Friday night on Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen, including Hodeidah and Al-Salif. The strikes were part of Operation Red Sunsets, involving 15 fighter jets flying 1,200 miles with mid-air refueling to deliver over 35 munitions. The strikes came after Israel issued a warning earlier in the week.
Saudi outlet Al Hadath reported that more than 10 strikes were carried out at the two ports. Israel stated the operation aimed to impose a naval blockade on the Houthi movement. Ynet defense analyst Ron Ben-Yishai said the ongoing campaign seeks to prevent Iran from using these ports to supply the Houthis with missiles and other military equipment.
As reported by Ynetnews