A Missile From Yemen Halts Flights In Israel Hours Before Top Officials Vote On Plans For Gaza War | rssama.com

BEN-GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Israel (AP) — A rocket launched by Iranian-backed rebels successful Yemen connected Sunday concisely halted flights and commuter postulation astatine Israel’s main world airdrome aft an effect near a plume of fume and caused panic among passengers.

The Houthi rebels person been striking Israel passim nan warfare successful Gaza successful solidarity pinch Palestinians. The onslaught connected Ben-Gurion International Airport came hours earlier apical Israeli Cabinet ministers were group to ballot connected whether to intensify nan country’s military operations successful nan Gaza Strip. The service meantime began calling up thousands of reserves successful anticipation of a wider cognition successful Gaza, officials said.

The rocket motorboat Sunday group disconnected aerial ambush sirens successful aggregate parts of Israel. A plume of fume was visible astatine nan airport, according to footage shared by Israeli media. Passengers were heard yelling and scrambling for cover.

It was not instantly clear whether nan projectile, which landed successful a section adjacent an entree roadworthy starring to airdrome parking lots, was nan rocket aliases its fragments, aliases an interceptor from Israel’s aerial defense systems. It near a heavy crater successful nan crushed and a adjacent roadworthy was littered pinch dirt.

Police said that air, roadworthy and obstruction postulation were halted pursuing nan attack. The postulation resumed aft astir an hour, Israel Airports Authority said. Israel’s paramedic work Magen David Adom said 4 group were lightly wounded.

Houthi subject spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said successful a video connection that nan group fired a hypersonic ballistic rocket astatine nan airport.

Houthi rebels person been firing astatine Israel since nan warfare pinch Gaza erupted connected Oct. 7, 2023, and nan missiles person mostly been intercepted, though some person penetrated Israel’s rocket defense systems, causing damage.

Israel has struck backmost against nan rebels successful Yemen and nan U.S., Israel’s apical ally, besides launched a run of strikes successful March against them.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed retribution for nan airdrome attack: “Whoever harms us, we will harm them sevenfold.”

An Israeli charismatic said nan influential information Cabinet would meet connected Sunday evening to ballot connected plans to grow nan fighting. A subject charismatic said nan state was calling up thousands of reserves. Both officials said connected information of anonymity successful statement pinch regulations.

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, successful an question and reply pinch Israeli Army Radio, said he wanted to spot a “powerful” description of nan war, but did not disclose specifications arsenic to what nan caller plans would entail.

“We request to summation nan strength and proceed until we execute full victory. We must triumph a full victory,” he said. He demanded that Israel explosive “the nutrient and energy supplies” successful Gaza.

The plans to escalate fighting successful Gaza much than 18 months aft nan warfare location erupted travel arsenic a humanitarian crisis successful nan territory deepens.

As portion of its efforts to unit nan militant group Hamas to discuss connected Israel’s position for a caller ceasefire, Israel successful early March halted nan introduction of equipment into Gaza. That has plunged nan territory of 2.3 cardinal group into what is believed to beryllium nan worst humanitarian situation since nan warfare began.

An eight-week-long ceasefire betwixt Israel and Hamas that brought a lull successful fighting and freed Israeli hostages collapsed successful March. Israel resumed its strikes connected Gaza connected March 18 and has captured swaths of nan coastal enclave. Hundreds of Palestinians person been killed since nan fighting resumed, according to section wellness officials.

At slightest 7 Palestinians including 2 parents and their 2 children, ages 2 and 4, were killed successful Israeli airstrikes successful confederate and cardinal Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said. Asked astir nan strikes, nan Israeli subject had nary nonstop comment.

The Israeli subject said Sunday that 2 soldiers were killed successful combat successful Gaza, bringing nan number of soldiers killed since fighting resumed successful March to six.

The warfare successful Gaza began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel, sidesplitting 1,200 group and taking 250 hostages. Israel says 59 stay successful Gaza, though astir 35 are said to beryllium dead.

Israel’s violative has killed much than 52,000 group successful Gaza, galore of them women and children according to Palestinian wellness officials, who do not separate betwixt combatants and civilians successful their count.

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Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer successful Nahariya, Israel, and Samy Magdy successful Cairo contributed to this report.

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