Israel’s Ramon Airport, located near the city of Eilat, has resumed full operations after a drone launched from Yemen struck its arrivals hall on Sunday. The incident caused a brief two-hour shutdown of the airport. Two people were injured by shrapnel and were taken for medical treatment. The Airports Authority stated that after all safety checks were completed and approval was received from the Air Force, the airport was reopened for both departures and arrivals.
The Broader Context of Regional Tensions
The drone attack is linked to the ongoing conflict in the region. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have been launching missiles and drones toward Israel in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians. The article notes that if confirmed by the Houthis, this would be the first major attack since Israel killed senior Houthi officials in late August. In retaliation, Israel has bombed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Impact on Travel and Operations
Despite the incident, both of the Israeli carriers operating out of the airport, Israir and Arkia, reported that their passengers and crew were safe. Both airlines stated they would resume flights as soon as the airport was back to normal operations. The airport, which is about 350 km from Tel Aviv, primarily handles domestic flights.
