Damaged vehicles are seen near the Ben Gurion Airport following a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, May 4, 2025. A missile launched by Yemen's Houthi forces struck Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, causing several injuries and damage, the Israeli military and local authorities said. The military said in a statement that aerial defense systems attempted to intercept the missile but failed. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)SANAA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said on Friday it had launched a "hypersonic ballistic missile" targeting Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, hours after the Israeli military reported intercepting a projectile fired from Yemen.The Houthis also claimed to have carried out a simultaneous drone strike on a military facility in Tel Aviv. The coordinated attack, announced via the group's al-Masirah television channel, came amid escalating cross-border hostilities.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said Israel's missile defense systems "failed to intercept" the launch and claimed the strike disrupted operations at Ben Gurion Airport for more than an hour, forcing "millions" into shelters. His statements could not be independently verified.This photo taken on May 6, 2025 shows smoke rising from the Dhahban power plant after airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen. Intensive Israeli airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa and the northern province of Amran on Tuesday afternoon. In Sanaa, the strikes hit Sanaa International Airport, the Dhahban power plant, and two military sites. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)According to Sarea, the assault marked a continuation of the Houthis' declared campaign to impose an aerial blockade on Israel in retaliation for what he described as Israeli "war crimes" in Gaza. He urged international airlines to suspend flights to Israel and warned that Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea remained within missile range.The Israeli military confirmed that air defense systems were activated and intercepted a projectile over central Israel. Air raid sirens sounded across the Tel Aviv area, prompting residents to take cover. A 55-year-old woman sustained minor injuries while fleeing, emergency services said.A security source cited by The Times of Israel said the missile was downed by Israel's Arrow long-range missile defense system. The source also reported that a U.S.-supplied THAAD interceptor was deployed but failed to hit its target, the second reported THAAD failure since Sunday.Police officers operate in a missile-hit area near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, May 4, 2025. A missile launched by Yemen's Houthi forces struck Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, causing several injuries and damage, the Israeli military and local authorities said. The military said in a statement that aerial defense systems attempted to intercept the missile but failed. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)On May 4, a similar Houthi missile struck near Ben Gurion Airport after both Arrow and THAAD systems malfunctioned, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.Since Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18, Houthi forces have launched around 28 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones toward Israeli territory, according to Israeli media.The escalation followed a ceasefire agreement between Washington and the Houthis, mediated by Oman and announced on Tuesday. The deal aimed to end a spate of mutual attacks but does not extend to Israeli targets or Israeli-linked shipping.This photo released on May 5, 2025 shows an Israeli fighter jet taking off at an unidentified location to conduct airstrikes on targets in Yemen. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Xinhua)"The Houthis continue to launch Iranian missiles at Israel," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. "As we promised, we will respond forcefully in Yemen and wherever necessary."The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have positioned their continued attacks on Israel as a separate front. Houthi officials said the ceasefire with the United States had succeeded in "neutralizing" U.S. military pressure, but not their campaign against Israel."Israel now stands exposed on the front line, within range of our missiles," said Nasr al-Din Amir, a senior Houthi media official.No U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets have been reported since the ceasefire took effect. Israel, which lies more than 2,000 kilometers from Yemen, has limited capacity to strike the Houthis directly and continues to rely heavily on U.S. support.