Houthi Missile Strike Near Tel Aviv Airport Sparks Israeli Response and Global Flight Cancellations

A Houthi missile hit close to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, shaking things up not just for travelers, but also for Israel’s military and political leaders. The strike, which managed to dodge Israeli and U.S. missile defense systems, left at least eight people injured—thankfully, none of the injuries were life-threatening.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasted no time, promising swift retaliation and jumping into a series of defense meetings. Defense Minister Israel Katz doubled down, declaring, "Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold." Sounds like things are about to heat up even more.

The fallout was immediate in the skies: Lufthansa, Swiss, and Air Europa all canceled flights to Israel, though they’re hoping for takeoff again as soon as Monday. For anyone hoping to squeeze in a last-minute Tel Aviv getaway, it’s probably best to keep those bags unpacked—for now.

While the missile strike grabbed the headlines, the Israeli Air Force was busy over the weekend, hitting over 100 targets in Gaza, including tunnels, weapons caches, and what the military described as terrorist infrastructure. Troops operating in southern Gaza also uncovered more weapons and eliminated a number of militants.

All this comes just days after Israel’s Independence Day celebrations were axed, not for security reasons, but because of massive wildfires raging near Jerusalem. The blazes forced mass evacuations, road closures, and led to the cancellation of the traditional torch-lighting ceremony. Jerusalem’s fire chief called it possibly "the largest fire ever in the country," warning that high winds were making things even harder to control.

Between missile strikes and wildfires, Israel’s had a rough week—and that’s putting it lightly. At this point, it feels like the only thing not getting canceled is the tension.