— A drone fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels breached Israel’s air defenses and struck the passenger area of Ramon International Airport, near Eilat, briefly closing the airport and forcing flight diversions while most other incoming Houthi drones were intercepted, Israeli authorities said.
Key Takeaways
- The Israeli military says most of several Houthi-launched drones were intercepted; one struck Ramon Airport’s passenger terminal.
- Ramon International Airport is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) from Eilat; glass was shattered and smoke was reported at the terminal.
- One 63-year-old man was treated for light shrapnel wounds, according to Magen David Adom.
- The Houthis claimed responsibility and framed the attack as retaliation after Israeli strikes on Sanaa that killed Houthi officials, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi.
- Commercial operations at Ramon were paused briefly and resumed within a few hours after authorities assessed the damage as limited.
- The incident underscores an expanded Houthi campaign that has targeted Israeli territory and shipping lanes in recent months.
Verified Facts
Israeli officials reported that on Sept. 7, multiple attack drones launched from Yemen approached Israel; air defenses intercepted several near the Egyptian border but did not detect or stop a fourth device that hit the Ramon International Airport terminal. The Israeli Airports Authority said the strike blew out terminal windows and produced visible smoke plumes.
Emergency responders from Magen David Adom treated a 63-year-old man for light shrapnel wounds. Airport authorities and the military described the physical damage as limited; normal flight operations resumed within a couple of hours after an on-site inspection.
The Houthi movement publicly claimed responsibility for the strike and described it as a deliberate operation against an Israeli airport. Houthi statements followed Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa earlier in the week that killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and other senior officials, an action the militants said prompted escalation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated plans to continue operations in Gaza City and said progress would continue despite external attacks. Separately, local hospitals in Gaza reported Israeli strikes that killed at least 13 people the same morning; the Gaza Health Ministry reports 64,368 killed and 162,776 wounded since the start of the war, figures the ministry publishes without separating civilians from combatants.
Context & Impact
The Houthis — an Iran-aligned militia based in Yemen — have expanded a campaign of drone and missile launches into the Red Sea and toward Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli campaign in Gaza. Most Houthi aerial attacks have been intercepted, but occasional strikes have hit near major infrastructure, including a May strike near Ben Gurion Airport that prompted international flight suspensions earlier in 2025.
Beyond the tactical damage at Ramon, the strike raises commercial and diplomatic concerns: airlines may reassess routes to southern Israel and regional shipping in the Red Sea has already faced disruptions from Houthi attacks and reprisals. The incident also increases pressure on regional mediators working to revive ceasefire or hostage-negotiation talks between Israel and Hamas.
- Operational: The event prompted a temporary airspace closure and flight diversions, testing contingency plans for Israeli airports.
- Diplomatic: The attack follows an escalation after Israeli strikes in Yemen that killed Houthi leaders, complicating ties with actors involved in mediation.
- Security: Repeated Houthi air attacks have forced Israel to adapt air defenses and to investigate detection gaps.
“Our effort in Gaza on the last strongholds… is part of our effort to complete the crushing of the Iranian axis’s chokehold.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
“Enemy airports are unsafe, and foreigners must leave them for their own safety.”
Nasruddin Amer, Houthi media deputy
Unconfirmed
- The exact number of drones launched toward Israel in this specific incident remains under investigation; different sources reported “several” or “multiple.”
- Whether the drone that hit Ramon Airport was specifically targeted at the terminal or struck the terminal by chance has not been independently verified.
- Claims by the Houthis that this was a “unique, qualitative military operation” and that all foreign nationals must leave Israeli airports are political statements that have not been corroborated by independent observers.
Bottom Line
The strike on Ramon International Airport represents a rare successful Houthi strike on significant Israeli infrastructure and highlights vulnerabilities in detection and interception. While damage and injuries were limited, the incident could prompt wider operational and commercial responses from airlines, as well as further regional escalation if retaliatory strikes or additional Houthi launches follow.