Major airlines suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid Yemeni aerial blockade and rising tensions

By lauraharris // 2025-05-08

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Major carriers like Lufthansa, British Airways and Delta canceled flights after Yemen's Armed Forces launched a hypersonic missile near Ben-Gurion Airport, bypassing multiple air defense systems.
The Houthis declared an air blockade on Israeli airports, urging airlines to avoid Tel Aviv for passenger safety. The strike injured six people and caused damage near the airport.
United, Delta, Air France and others suspended flights, while Ethiopian Airlines and flydubai continued operations. El Al offered discounted fares to help stranded Israelis return.
The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted Israel and shipping routes since November 2023 in solidarity with Hamas. Former U.S. President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu blamed Iran for the attacks.
The strike follows Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, raising fears of wider conflict, including potential Iranian retaliation.

Several major international airlines have abruptly canceled flights to Tel Aviv after the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) launched a hypersonic ballistic missile strike inside Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday, May 4. According to several reports, YAF imposed an aerial blockade on the airport on Sunday in retaliation for the Israeli military escalation in Gaza. The hypersonic missile, which injured six people, bypassed four layers of air defense – including the U.S.-made terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) and Israeli Arrow systems. "In response to the Israeli escalation with the decision to expand aggressive operations on Gaza, the YAF announce that they will work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably Lod Airport, known in Israel as Ben-Gurion Airport," YAF spokesman Yahya Saree said that same day. "The YAF call on all international airlines to take into consideration what is stated in this statement from the moment it was announced and published, and to cancel all flights to the airports of the criminal enemy to preserve the safety of their aircraft and customers." The Lufthansa Group – which includes SWISS International Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines – announced it would suspend all flights to Tel Aviv until at least May 6. Affected passengers are being rebooked on alternative flights. (Related: Western nations cancel flights to Lebanon amid rising Israeli threats.) Other carriers taking similar measures include Wizz Air, Air France, Air Europa, TUS Airways, Air India, British Airways, ITA Airways, Ryanair and LOT Polish Airlines. U.S. carriers have also taken precautionary measures. For instance, United Airlines extended its suspension of New York-Tel Aviv flights through May 8, stating it is "assessing the situation, while Delta Air Lines canceled its Sunday, May 5 JFK-Tel Aviv flight, emphasizing that passenger and crew safety is its "No. 1 priority." Despite the cancellations, a few carriers, including Ethiopian Airlines, flydubai, Iberia and Blue Bird Airways, continued flights as scheduled. Meanwhile, El Al announced discounted one-way fares from Larnaca ($99) and Athens ($149) to help stranded Israelis return home.

Iranian-backed Houthis attacking Israel and international maritime traffic since November

The Houthis, a militant group whose slogan is "Death to America, Death to Israel, a Curse on the Jews," launched attacks against Israel and international maritime traffic in November 2023. These assaults came in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages to the Gaza Strip. The invasion by Hamas triggered Israel's military campaign in Gaza, prompting the Houthis to escalate hostilities as an act of solidarity with Palestinians. However, in a post on Truth Social in March, President Donald Trump urged the public to not be fooled by the Houthis attacks. “Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, Iran," Trump said in his March post. "Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared this post on Sunday on X, echoing a similar statement. He added that Israel is now taking action in coordination with Washington. "President Trump is absolutely right. The Houthi attacks emanate from Iran," Netanyahu wrote. "Israel will respond to the attack on Ben-Gurion Airport, and, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters as well." Follow Chaos.news for more news about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Watch the video below about Israel preparing for war with Hezbollah and an invasion of Lebanon.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

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Iranian-backed Houthis attacking Israel and international maritime traffic since November

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