The Shocking Reason the Drone That Hit an Israeli Airport Wasn't Intercepted
The IDF's initial investigation into a drone strike on Ramon Airport found the projectile was identified by monitoring systems but was not classified as a "hostile" threat, explaining why no air raid sirens were activated before it struck the passenger terminal.
An initial investigation by the Israeli Air Force revealed a critical misclassification in the drone strike that hit Ramon Airport on Sunday. According to the IDF, the Houthi drone was detected by Air Force monitoring systems but was not designated as a "hostile" threat, which is why no sirens or interception measures were activated. The drone hit the passenger terminal, causing a massive explosion and chaos, though thankfully resulting in no serious injuries.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of terror and panic. "Everyone started running with the explosion, I flew backward," said Avi from Petah Tikva, who was at the airport with his family. "There was a huge panic here and no one knew where to run." Another passenger, Michal from Tel Aviv, said, "It was a very scary moment." Avi Akirov, also from Petah Tikva, recalled, "I happened to look up and saw a fireball, and then a huge explosion and glass shattering everywhere." He described a state of chaos, saying it seemed to have caught everyone off guard, and that there appeared to be no clear procedures in place.
Eight people were lightly injured in the blast, with three of them suffering from anxiety. A man was injured by shrapnel, and others were hurt by the shockwave and debris. Despite the chaos, the Airports Authority announced that Ramon Airport had resumed full operations just two hours after the impact, a decision made after safety and security checks were completed and final approval was received from the Air Force.
Houthi political bureau official Hizem Al-Asad shared videos of the strike on social media and warned in Hebrew, "The real revenge has not even begun. What awaits you will be much harder." The Houthi terror organization later claimed responsibility for the launch of eight drones and threatened to continue attacking Israeli airports, demanding that airlines cease operations in the country.
The IDF stressed that while a defense is never hermetic, it has successfully intercepted over 98% of the approximately 150 Houthi drones launched toward Israel since the start of the war. However, the head of the Eilot Regional Council, Hanan Ginat, criticized the lack of warning. He said, "Unfortunately, the focus on the eastern border regarding detection and warning systems has decreased significantly after the war with Iran, and we saw the result in today's event."
