Israel’s air defense scandal against Yemeni drone

In response to Israel’s terrorist assassination of Yemen’s prime minister and several ministers, as well as in continued support for Gaza, Yemen has significantly escalated its operations against the Zionist entity in recent weeks. On Sunday, Yemen announced a series of drone attacks deep inside occupied Palestinian territories.

Hebrew-language media confirmed that a Yemeni drone struck Ramon International Airport in the Negev, southern occupied Palestine, leading to the suspension of flights.

How did the Yemeni drone evade Israel’s air defense?

Reports stated that firefighting teams were dispatched to the airport after the strike, as thick smoke rose from the site and passengers rushed to flee. Although the Israeli military initially tried to downplay the incident, claiming most drones were intercepted with minimal damage, Israel Hayom and other official outlets admitted that the Yemeni drone struck its target without Ramon’s warning systems ever being activated.

Eyewitnesses at the airport reported hearing the drone’s engine just before impact. “We heard a noise like a tractor above us, looked up, and saw the drone,” one witness said. “We shouted in fear, and moments later it hit the terminal—without any interception or alarms.” Passengers were then rushed into shelters for over an hour until authorities cleared the site.

While the Israeli army claimed only two people were wounded, Israel Hayom revealed that at least eight Israelis were injured and hospitalized.

Military analysts: A strategic blow to Israel

Experts argue that the failure lies in the advanced design of Yemeni drones, which use components difficult to detect by radar. Retired Jordanian General Fayez al-Duwairi noted: “Israel’s air defenses struggle with drones because counter-drone tactics differ from counter-missile methods. Yemeni drones are built with materials and radar signatures that deceive detection.”

The attack was particularly significant because Ramon Airport—built as an alternative to Eilat—is a modern international facility designed for large aircraft. According to Arab analysts, the strike underscored Israel’s vulnerability, even though its air defense network also extends to naval forces in the Red Sea.

Yemen has launched at least eight missiles and seven drones at Israel since the assassination in Sana’a, signaling Ansarallah’s determination to retaliate for the killing of Prime Minister Ahmad al-Rahwi and others on August 28.

Israeli concern over international perception

Israeli military commentators warned the incident could undermine global confidence in Israel’s air defense exports, such as the Arrow system. Noam Amir, a defense reporter, asked whether Germany might reconsider purchases after seeing these failures.

Israeli analyst Avi Ashkenazi admitted: “From an air force perspective, this is a catastrophic failure. Even a single drone successfully striking inside Israel is enough to declare defeat.” He warned that a near-miss involving an Arkia Airlines passenger jet at Ramon could have paralyzed Israel’s civil aviation.

The Maariv daily added that such symbolic and psychological strikes could severely disrupt air traffic. Foreign airlines, already hesitant after May’s Yemeni missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport, might again suspend flights—driving ticket prices higher for Israelis due to reduced competition.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Kan news network confirmed an internal military investigation is underway to determine why Ramon’s radars and alert systems failed to detect the Yemeni drone.