Flight stops to Tel Aviv: Safety above all else – Houthi missile alert!

Flight stops to Tel Aviv: Safety above all else – Houthi missile alert!

Austrian Airlines flights to Tel Aviv will be suspended until June 8, 2025. This decision was made in close coordination with the Lufthansa Group and applies to all airlines in the airline group, including Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels, Eurowings, Ita and Lufthansa Cargo. The flight ban, which has been in place since early May, came after a missile-related incident from Yemen near Ben Gurion International Airport, where a Houthi missile landed. This reports nachrichten.at.

Passengers who have already purchased flight tickets to Tel Aviv can cancel them free of charge or rebook them on a later flight. The background for the extension of the flight stop is the renewed advance of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, which is further aggravating the security situation.

Missile attack and security situation

The incident that led to the decision to stop was more serious than many initially thought. For the first time, a Houthi rocket hit the region near the airport. Injuries were also reported from the attack: eight people were injured, according to the Magen David Adom emergency service. The Houthi militia claimed the attack and said it had targeted the airport with a hypersonic missile. However, this information has not yet been independently confirmed zdf.de reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted sharply and announced a tough counterattack against the Houthi militia. He scheduled an urgent security consultation, which underscored the urgency of the situation. During the attack, warning sirens sounded in many areas of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, causing a temporary disruption to air traffic. Access roads to the airport were closed to ensure the safety of passengers.

International reactions and further developments

In this context, the Houthi militia called on international airlines to avoid the airport for security reasons. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the country would respond to the attack with a “tough response” and warned of a seven-fold retaliation against attackers. In recent weeks, the Houthi militia has increased the number of shells fired at Israel again as part of its solidarity with Hamas.

The current incident also highlights the complex political situation in the region, which is characterized by ongoing tensions and an escalating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The international community is monitoring developments with great concern, while the security situation remains tense.