Tel Aviv: Air India, other airlines suspend flights after missile attack at airport
Several airlines, including Air India, on Sunday suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv after a Houthi-claimed missile struck inside the perimeter of Israel's main international airport.
A missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels towards Israel landed near Ben Gurion Airport sending a plume of smoke into the air and causing panic among passengers.
The Israeli ambulance service said eight people were being taken to the hospital, including a man in a mild to moderate condition.
Among the airlines that have announced suspension of operations to Tel Aviv are Germany's Lufthansa, British Airways, Air India, and America's Delta Air Lines.
Also Read | Air India's flight to Israel diverted to Abu Dhabi after missile attack at Tel Aviv airport
Lufthansa said that it has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until May 6. The group -- whose carriers include Eurowings, Swiss, Austrian and Brussels Airlines -- said it was halting services due to the "current situation".
British Airways said it was suspending all flights to and from Tel Aviv until May 7.
"We continually monitor operating conditions and have made the decision to suspend all our flights to and from Tel Aviv, up to and including BA405 on Wednesday, 7 May," the airline said in a statement sent to AFP.
Air India said that its flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will remain suspended till May 6.
Also Read | Israeli firefighting teams battle bushfires near Jerusalem for second day
'Consequently, our operations to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended with immediate effect till 6 May 2025, to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. Our staff on the ground is assisting customers and helping them with alternative arrangements,' a spokesperson of the airlines said.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli police said air traffic to the country's main airport in Tel Aviv was briefly closed after a missile was launched from Yemen.
Police said plane traffic and other activity around the airport were expected to resume after officers performed final searches, according to the Associated Press.
A plume of smoke was seen rising earlier from near the airport after the missile was launched. Passengers were heard yelling and scrambling for cover, according to Reuters.
A senior Israeli police commander, Yair Hetzroni, showed reporters a crater caused by the impact of the missile, which airport authorities said had landed beside a road near a Terminal 3 parking lot, reported Reuters.
"You can see the scene right behind us here, a hole that opened up with a diametre of tens of metres and also tens of metres deep," Hetzroni said, adding that there was no significant damage, according to Reuters.
The Houthi rebels, who have been striking Israel throughout the war in Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians, said in a video statement that the group fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at the airport, reported the Associated Press.
Israeli defense minister Israel Katz vowed retribution for the airport attack: 'Whoever harms us, we will harm them sevenfold.'
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