Houthi Drone Strikes Ramon Airport After IDF Declares Earlier Threat Over

JERUSALEM – A drone launched from Yemen struck the arrivals hall at Ramon Airport near Eilat on Sunday, wounding two people and forcing Israel to briefly shut down its second international airport.

The blast came just hours after the IDF said it had intercepted three drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis earlier in the day. Sirens sounded in several Negev border communities during that incident, and residents were told to shelter until the all-clear was given.

At Ramon Airport, a 63-year-old man suffered shrapnel injuries to his limbs and a 52-year-old woman was hurt in a fall. Both were taken to Yoseftal Medical Center in stable condition. Others were treated for anxiety. The Israel Airports Authority confirmed the strike hit the passenger hall, with images showing major damage inside and outside the terminal.

Flights were suspended as the runway was inspected, and an Israir jet bound for Eilat was diverted to Ben-Gurion Airport. The IDF said no warning sirens were activated before the strike and that the incident was under review.

Regional officials voiced anger over the growing threat. Eran Doron, head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council, said that drone attacks and cross-border smuggling have become “an unacceptable reality,” urging the government to reinforce border communities.

Footage shows the damage at Ramon International Airport after a Houthi suicide drone struck the main passenger terminal. Airspace near the airport has been shuttered. pic.twitter.com/ZEnSFL6aF9

— Israel Now (@neveragainlive1) September 7, 2025

The strike was a rare direct hit on Ramon Airport, officially the Ilan and Assaf Ramon International Airport, which opened in 2019 to replace Eilat and Ovda airports. Designed to handle up to four million passengers annually, the desert facility has generally remained open during the Gaza war despite repeated Houthi threats.

Since March, the Houthis have intensified their campaign against Israel, firing more than 70 ballistic missiles and at least 23 drones, most intercepted or falling short. The group has also harassed or attacked more than 100 commercial ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, effectively freezing activity at the Port of Eilat.

The Houthis claim their strikes are in solidarity with Palestinians as the Gaza war continues. Their attacks follow Hamas’s October 7 assault that killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 252 taken hostage. Forty-eight captives remain in Gaza, with roughly 20 believed to be alive.

JUST IN: MORE FOOTAGE OF DAMAGE TO RAMON AIRPORT IN ISRAELI AFTER BEING HIT BY A YEMENI HOUTHI DRONE pic.twitter.com/BpJChdeqMx

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) September 7, 2025