Tel Aviv-bound Air India flight diverted to Abu Dhabi after missile attack near Ben Gurion airport
Security forces work at the site of a missile attack, launched from Yemen, at the entrance of Ben Gurion Airport, in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 4 | Reuters
A ballistic missile fired by the Houthis in Yemen landed near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, following which air traffic was halted. Following this, an Air India flight heading to Tel Aviv from Delhi was diverted to Abu Dhabi.
“Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv of 3 May 2025 was diverted to Abu Dhabi after an incident at Ben Gurion airport this morning," stated a spokesperson for Air India.
The missile attack occurred within an hour before Air India's flight AI139 was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport.
Israel police said air traffic to Ben Gurion airport was briefly closed after the missile attack. Reports suggested that the missile struck a road that connected the busy airport in the Israeli capital.
Passengers at the Ben Gurion airport shared videos that showed thick black smoke spiralling into the sky behind the airport buildings and parked aircraft near Terminal 3. A man and a woman suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital.
The flight landed safely in Abu Dhabi and is expected to return to Delhi in some time.
Air India announced that flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will be suspended till May 6, saying the move is to ensure safety of its staff and customers. The spokesperson said the airline is providing assistance to customers to make alternate arrangements.
Passengers who booked Air India flights between May 3 and 6 will be abled to get a one-time waiver to reschedule their flights or get full refunds for cancellation.
"We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority,” the spokesperson added.
Middle East