Israel - Houthis Missile Attack: Why TATA's Air India Suspends Operations To Tel Aviv Till May 6th?

Israel's busiest international airport, Ben Gurion Airport, took a massive hit from a ballistic missile attack by the Yemen-backed terrorist group Houthis, which resulted in the injury of at least 8 people. Operations were disrupted, and flights were diverted as Tel Aviv shut down its airport for several hours. In wake of the situation, Tata Group's largest airline, Air India has suspended flying to and from Tel Aviv till May 6th.

Air India Tel Aviv Flights:

Through its X handler, Air India announced, "Consequent to developments in Tel Aviv this morning, our operations to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended with immediate effect till 6th May 2025, to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. "

"Our colleagues on the ground are assisting customers and helping them with alternative arrangements. Customers booked on our flights with valid tickets between 4th and 6th May 2025 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling or full refunds for cancellation," the airline added.

Air India flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi after the missile truck at Ben Gurion Airport. Air India said, "We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains a top priority."

Under the terms and conditions of Air India, if the airliner cancels or suspends its flight services, passengers can claim a refund or reschedule. The process is simple.

1. Request a refund using the manage booking section on Air India's website or app. You have to enter your PNR number and last name before clicking on SUBMIT. Click on the link below:

https://www.airindia.com/in/en/manage/booking.html

2. To reschedule your flight, Go to the website's self-service re-accommodation option. Under self-service re-accommodation, passengers must submit their PNR and last name as well to proceed.

OR

Clicking on the reschedule link sent to your registered email along with the intimation for the flight cancellation.

Israel Missile Attack:

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior official of Houthi rebels claimed the responsibility attack targeted Israel's sensitive regions like an airport. The disastrous incident unfolded after Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) multiple interception failed, causing injury to 8 people on the ground. However, as per the local media, the terminal infrastructure was intact as the attack was averted to an access road in Ben Gurion airport's perimeter.

Israel has vowed to hit back at Houthis with seven-fold strikes. Yemen's terrorist group has been creating chaos against Israel since the start of the Gaza war, creating havoc to transportation in the Red Sea, and shooting missiles and drones at Israel.

However, so far, the Benjamin Netanyahu-led country has not directly hit Houthis who are 2,211 KM away from its soil. After October 7th, Israel's IDF has been combating heavily against Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, while also having an intense shower of missile attacks on Iran as well.

The Houthis claim to attack Israel to showcase their solidarity with the Palestinian people. They faced strong counterattacks from the UK and US in mid-2024, as they disrupted global trade. However, in March, Houthis announced to begin their attacks on international shipping, as a move to retaliate against Israel's reportedly aid blockade in Gaza.

This was met with a strong response from the US military. From March 15, led by former US president Joe Biden, the world's largest democracy has launched almost daily air strikes on Houthis military bases and operations, to stop them from disrupting shipping transportation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The US military actions only intensified under the comeback of President Donald Trump.

As per reports, the US has stated that they have hit about 1,000 targets of Houthis in Yemen.

The Houthis, also known as the Houthi movement and officially the Ansar Allah, is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely from the Houthi tribe. The group has been a central player in Yemen's civil war, drawing widespread international condemnation for its human rights abuses, including targeting civilians and using child soldiers, as per Wikipedia.