— Israel’s Ramon Airport, near the southern resort city of Eilat, briefly halted operations on Sunday after a drone launched from Yemen struck the arrivals hall. Following safety and security inspections and final clearance from the Israeli Air Force, the airport reopened for full departures and arrivals; two people were treated for shrapnel wounds.
Key Takeaways
- Ramon Airport paused operations for about two hours after a drone hit the arrivals hall on Sept. 7, 2025.
- Two civilians — a 63-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman — were injured by shrapnel and evacuated for treatment.
- The Israeli military said its systems detected the drone but did not classify it as hostile, so interception alerts were not triggered.
- Houthi forces in Yemen claimed responsibility, according to a Houthi military spokesperson.
- After security checks and Air Force approval, the Airports Authority authorized full resumption of flights, including a planned Ramon–Ben Gurion service.
- Domestic carriers Israir and Arkia reported passengers and crew at the airport were safe; Arkia said its aircraft sustained no damage.
- The incident adds to a series of Houthi-launched drones and missiles toward Israel since October 2023.
Verified Facts
The airport, located near Eilat on Israel’s southern Red Sea coast and roughly 350 km from Tel Aviv, suspended takeoffs and landings for approximately two hours after a drone struck the arrivals hall. Israel’s Airports Authority said it completed all required safety and security checks and received final Air Force approval before reopening the facility.
Israel’s national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, reported that a 63-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were injured by shrapnel and evacuated for medical treatment. The Airports Authority and airlines on site said passengers and crew were safe following inspections.
The Israeli military posted that its detection systems identified the incoming object but did not classify it as hostile; as a result, active interception and public alert systems were not activated. Houthi forces based in Yemen publicly claimed the attack through their military spokesperson, Yahya Saree.
Context & Impact
The Iran-aligned Houthi movement has launched missiles and drones toward Israel over the past two years, citing solidarity with Palestinians; those strikes have included incidents near Ben Gurion Airport in May 2025 that injured eight people and repeated assaults on shipping in the Red Sea.
Israel has responded with airstrikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including strikes around the strategic Hodeidah port. Sunday’s incident, if confirmed as an intentional strike by Houthi forces, would follow the killing of senior Houthi officials by Israeli action in late August 2025.
Operationally, Ramon primarily handles domestic flights connecting Eilat with Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. A temporary shutdown, even for a few hours, can disrupt schedules for carriers such as Israir and Arkia and affect tourism flows to the resort region.
- Short-term effects: flight delays, passenger rebooking, increased security inspections.
- Longer-term concerns: potential routing changes, tightened domestic aviation security, higher operational costs for inspections.
“Following completion of all safety and security checks, compliance with international civil aviation standards, and receipt of final approval from the Air Force — Ramon Airport has now been reopened for full operations.”
Israel Airports Authority (statement)
Unconfirmed
- Whether the drone was intentionally targeting the arrivals hall rather than having crashed in the area.
- Independent verification of the Houthi claim that the drone was launched from their-controlled areas in Yemen.
- Any direct linkage between this single strike and the broader pattern of recent Israeli-Houthi exchanges beyond public claims.
Bottom Line
Ramon Airport reopened after a brief shutdown and safety checks, but the incident highlights continuing risks to civil aviation from long-range drone and missile activity in the region. Authorities will likely maintain heightened inspections and operational caution for domestic flights until the security picture stabilizes.