Global Flight Disruption: Houthi Missile Strike Near Ben Gurion Airport

Flights were canceled by European and U.S. carriers after Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a missile near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. This incident halted many international flights to Israel, causing panic at the airport. Local airlines gained from the suspended operations, and emergency responses were enacted swiftly.

European and U.S. airline carriers have canceled flights for the upcoming days following a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels that struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, the country's principal international travel hub. Foreign airlines rapidly suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, causing widespread panic among passengers.

After a ceasefire with Hamas in January, international flights to Israel had only recently resumed, restoring a measure of competition to a market dominated by local carriers El Al, Arkia, and Israir. Following the missile strike, El Al shares surged by 7%, while Israir climbed 4.1% amidst an otherwise flat Tel Aviv stock market on Sunday.

Numerous airlines including Delta, United, Lufthansa Group, ITA, and Air France have canceled or delayed flights due to the ongoing situation. El Al has initiated rescue flights from Larnaca and Athens for passengers left stranded, while aviation officials assured that Ben Gurion resumed operations swiftly after the missile incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)