Yemen hits Israel’s core with hypersonic missile, exposes defence weaknesses

The Yemeni Armed Forces have announced a series of military operations targeting Israeli installations, including a high-profile precision strike on Ben Gurion Airport (Lod) in the occupied Yafa (Tel Aviv) region.

The strike, reportedly carried out with a hypersonic ballistic missile, hit its intended target with success, according to military statements, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e, a spokesperson for the Yemeni military, read out the statement, confirming the missile strike and its significant impact.

“Israeli air defence systems failed to intercept the missile, forcing millions of settlers to seek shelter and causing a near-hour-long suspension of flights at the airport,” Sare’e said. He added that the operation was part of Yemen’s ongoing enforcement of a no-fly zone against what it referred to as the “criminal Israeli entity.”

In a separate operation, Yemen’s drone unit also targeted a strategic site in Yafa using a drone of the same name, the "Yafa"-type unmanned aircraft. While the military did not disclose further details on the extent of the damage caused by the strike, it underlined the growing capabilities of Yemen’s military forces in this ongoing escalation.

Furthermore, the Yemeni Armed Forces reiterated their maritime and aerial blockade on Israel, urging international companies to comply with a ban on flights and shipping to the country. “The restrictions—including a ban on Israeli ships in the Red and Arabian Seas—will remain in effect until ‘Israel’ halts its military operations in Gaza and lifts the siege on the territory,” the statement emphasized.

The latest escalation comes amidst rising regional tensions due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to Palestinian health officials, more than 52,000 people have been killed and over 119,000 injured since the onset of Israeli airstrikes and military aggression. Yemen has positioned itself as an active participant in this conflict, vowing to continue military operations until Israel ceases its aggression.

In the aftermath of the Yemeni operation on Lod, air raid sirens blared across more than 200 occupied Israeli towns and cities, sending millions of Israeli settlers scrambling for shelter. Footage of the chaos spread quickly on social media, showing thousands fleeing beaches in Yafa as alarms sounded, while others sought refuge in underground bunkers, waiting for the missile strike’s impact.

The Israeli military, often described as the region's most advanced, confirmed the explosion’s severity, admitting that its US-made “THAAD” missile defence system had failed to intercept the Yemeni missile for the second time. This failure led to immediate cancellations of flights to Ben Gurion Airport. Global aviation trackers and media outlets reported prolonged disruptions, with major international airlines such as Lufthansa and Swiss Air suspending operations to Israel until at least May 18.

These disruptions have highlighted vulnerabilities in the US-Israeli defence systems, compounding the embarrassment of defence failures and raising questions about the effectiveness of advanced missile defence technologies in the face of evolving threats. Analysts warn that this could be the beginning of an intensification in Yemeni operations, which may continue to destabilize the region’s air and maritime transportation.

The strike has also further strained relations between Israel and the United States, deepening internal fractures within the Israeli government.

By Vafa Guliyeva