The recent missile attack launched by Houthi against Ben-Gurion International Airport of Tel Aviv He aroused serious concerns between Israeli leadership and raised numerous questions between geopolitical experts and military strategy. This episode, which took place yesterday May 4, 2025represents yet another escalation of a series of attacks which, since the violent Israeli response to the Hamas offensive of 7 October 2023, have seen the Houthi Yemeniti actively participate in the conflict. With the support sometimes of other actors of the so -called “Axis of resistance” At the Iranian guidance, the Houthi have shown surprising planning and military power, scoring blows that can no longer be ignored. The attack on Tel Aviv is only the last in chronological order of a series of actions that testify to the growing strategic ability of this group and its determination to be a central actor in the conflict. The Houthi also announced further attacks.
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The attack of the Houthi: success or conspiracy?
On May 4, 2025, the Yemeni military forces belonging to the Houthi movement – officially known with the name of “Ansar Allah” – They shot a ballistic missile which hit a perimeter area of the Ben-Gurion international airport, one of the two international airports of Israel. Although the material damage was negligible and only 6 people remained slightly injured, panic and the consequent chaos have forced the Israeli authorities a temporarily close the airport (then reopened after hours, once the safety conditions are restored).
In the following hours the debate literally broke out, given that the Israeli civil and military authorities admitted – not without embarrassment – that everyone Modern ballistic anti -meshesis defense systems in service at the IDF (Israeli defense forces) such as the Arrow-2The Arrow-3 and even the brand new Thaad of US origin they failed in repeated attempts to intercept the bombthat the Houthi described as “a hypersonic ballistic missile” (without however specifying its name).
Some have even advanced the hypothesis that the failure by the Israeli anti -missile defenses to intercept the device was a move designed at the table by the Netanyahu government in order to have the right available to continue the War in Gaza Even at a time when the executive policies are subjected to a “crossfire” both on the domestic and international front. However, it must be underlined that, every time the Israeli armed forces have undergone a humiliation of this reach, they have projected towards their external enemies an image of weakness that represents the exact opposite compared to the dictates of the “strategy of deterrence” that the Jewish state has pursued since its foundation, in 1948.
Coordination failure … or technological?
Therefore the hypothesis of the “conspiracy” is reduced, remains the most rational one of the failure of defense systemsbut here too the explanation is not univocal. Several times the Israeli anti -missile defenses have been put to the test during this end -east of the endless Middle Eastern crisis, especially during the two massive attacks with repeated waves by Iran that occurred respectively the 13-14 April and the October 1, 2024. Although the details and technical performances demonstrated by Israeli missile systems in those situations are still the subject of heated debate, one thing must be underlined: In both cases, the Israelis were able to prepare themselves well in advance and enjoy the unconditional support from their allies (especially the US), without therefore meeting control or coordination problems. The attack of May 4, 2025, however, took place suddenly, as “a bolt from the blue“, Leaving the Israelis a minimum notice to organize their defenses.
Another question that is anything but secondary concerns the type of missile used by the Houthi. If it were ascertained that in this attack they really resorted to a hypersonic ballistic missile, then the main suspect could be the “Madeh-1” Of Iranian origin, and this that could be a weapon with characteristics such as to be able to “puncture” also the shield of modern anti -missile defense systems, both of Israeli and American origin. Unfortunately, to date, the technical information on the fact of the fact that it is not so scarce that it is not possible to determine with certainty of what it can be capable, beyond the official declarations of the representatives of the Iranian regime.
What to expect in the near future?
Needless to say, the attack of the Houthi represents yet another escalation that proves to “impact” against attempts to achieve a termination of hostilities in Middle East. After threatening that “those who attacked us will be affected 7 times a lot”, the Israeli government has relaunched the mail by announcing the mobilization of thousands of other reservists in view of what should be, at least in the intentions, “The final offensive against Gaza”. The possibility that very soon we will see new attacks by the Houthi and further Israeli reprisals unfortunately becomes more and more concrete.
