Close call: Civilian plane narrowly escapes Houthi missile intercepted mid-air

Time of India

a day ago

Civilian plane flying away just moments before missile strikes, intercepted by Israel
A Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israeli civilians nearly struck a civilian plane on Tuesday evening.
The missile was intercepted by Israeli air defenses, preventing a potential mass casualty event instigated by Iranian-backed terrorists, claimed the Israeli war room.
"A Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israeli civilians nearly hit a civilian plane.
If not for the competence of Israeli air defenses, there could have been a mass casualty event caused by Iranian-backed terrorists," it said in a post on X, while sharing a video.
In the video, the plane can be seen flying away just moments before the missiles were intercepted.
The Israeli military stated that the missiles fired from Yemen, were intercepted after breaking into multiple fragments upon impact with an interceptor.
Consequently, the Israeli Air Force deployed additional interceptors to neutralise the debris. At least seven interceptors were launched during the operation. In previous instances, partially intercepted Houthi missiles have resulted in casualties when intact warheads fell to the ground. The Houthis, an Iran-backed group, claimed responsibility for the attack, announcing the launch of two ballistic missiles targeting Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel.
According to a military official quoted by The Times of Israel, the second missile either fell short or disintegrated in the air, consistent with several Houthi projectiles in recent weeks.
The missile attack triggered sirens shortly before 8 pm across central Israel, the Jerusalem area, southern West Bank settlements, and selected regions in southern Israel. Two minutes prior to the sirens, an early warning was sent to residents through push notifications on their phones, alerting them to the long-range missile threat.
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The Israel Defence Forces issued a statement regarding the incoming attack approximately five minutes before the sirens activated. No injuries were reported from the attack. Debris from the intercepted missile and interceptors landed near Jerusalem and in the West Bank, causing no significant damage.
Then on Tuesday morning, the Israeli Navy conducted its first-ever strike on Yemen by destroying infrastructure at the Hodeida port.
The operation involved two guided missiles launched from advanced Sa'ar 6-class corvettes positioned hundreds of kilometres away. This action marked the 11th Israeli strike against the Houthis since the conflict began, with the previous ten strikes executed by the Air Force.
The Houthis, whose slogan proclaims 'Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews,' initiated attacks on Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month following the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The group ceased its attacks when a ceasefire was established between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. By that time, the Houthis had launched over 40 ballistic missiles and numerous drones and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that caused civilian casualties in Tel Aviv in July, triggering Israel's initial strike in Yemen.
Since March 18, when the Israel Defence Forces resumed their offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after a temporary ceasefire, the Houthis have launched 48 ballistic missiles and at least 11 drones at Israel, with several of the missiles failing to reach their targets.