Houthi hypersonic missiles attack Ben Gurion Airport, causing another wave of disturbance in the Middle East

On July 22, local time, Yemeni Houthi armed spokesman Yahya Sarea issued a statement claiming that the Houthi armed forces launched a "Palestine-2" hypersonic ballistic missile at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport that day and successfully hit the target. This news instantly caused an uproar in the international community, adding fuel to the already tense situation in the Middle East.

As Israel's most important aviation hub, Ben-Gurion Airport undertakes most of Israel's international and domestic air transportation tasks, with an annual passenger throughput of tens of millions of people. Its strategic significance is self-evident. It is not only an important window for Israel's foreign exchanges, but also a key node for the transportation of personnel and materials. The attack on the airport is undoubtedly a direct hit on Israel's vital points.

The "Palestine-2" hypersonic ballistic missile used by the Houthi armed forces is of great significance at the technical level. According to the analysis of the Global Defense Observation Platform, the maximum range of the missile is close to 2,000 kilometers, the terminal flight speed can exceed Mach 5 (about 6,174 kilometers per hour), and it has the ability to maneuver and change tracks. This gives it a strong penetration capability when facing air defense systems. Israel has always built a relatively complete air defense system, such as the "Iron Dome", "David Slingshot" and the "THAAD" anti-missile system introduced from the United States. However, in the face of hypersonic weapons, these air defense systems face huge challenges. The high-speed flight and maneuvering and changing tracks of hypersonic missiles have greatly increased the difficulty of detection and tracking by traditional air defense radars, and the interception window time has been greatly compressed. Previously, the Houthis used this type of missile to attack Israeli targets many times, which has made the Israeli air defense system exhausted. The attack on Ben-Gurion Airport has exposed the shortcomings of the Israeli air defense system.

From the perspective of political intentions, the Houthis' actions this time have a profound background. For a long time, the Houthis have firmly supported the Palestinian people's resistance struggle and strongly opposed Israel's encroachment on Palestinian territory and oppression of the people in the Gaza Strip. At a time when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is escalating, the Houthis have launched attacks on Israeli targets, especially the symbolic Ben-Gurion Airport, in order to show Israel their firm position and to show the international community their ability to respond effectively to Israel's atrocities. In addition, the Houthis are also trying to use this to enhance their position in the Arab world and even the global anti-Israel camp and consolidate their political influence in Yemen.

The attack has had a multi-faceted impact on Israel. Domestically, the airport attack has caused a large number of flights to be canceled or delayed, seriously affecting passenger travel, causing panic among the public and disrupting social order. Israel's proud air defense system failed to effectively intercept incoming missiles, which has caused great damage to Israel's national security image and has caused the public to question the government's security capabilities. Internationally, the attack has attracted widespread attention from the international community. Many international airlines, such as Lufthansa and British Airways, have announced internal plans to adjust routes, which not only affects Israel's foreign air transport, but may also cause Israel to suffer losses in international economic cooperation, tourism and other fields. Aviation insurance institutions are also facing new evaluation standards. The new variable of hypersonic missiles is enough to cause premiums to soar or even suspend coverage, further increasing the operating costs of Israel's aviation industry.

For the situation in the Middle East, the attack by the Houthi armed forces has exacerbated the tension in the region. Israel will certainly not sit idly by and watch the attack, and is very likely to take retaliatory military actions, which will further escalate regional conflicts. Neighboring countries will also face new security pressures due to changes in the situation, and will be forced to re-examine their positions and strategies in regional conflicts. As an ally of Israel, the United States is also facing a dilemma in this incident. If it strengthens its military support for Israel, it may further intensify the contradictions with the Houthi armed forces and other anti-Israel forces; if it stays out of it, it may cause dissatisfaction in Israel and weaken its influence in the Middle East.

The Houthi armed forces' attack on Ben-Gurion Airport with hypersonic missiles is a major event in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. It has not only changed the situation of military confrontation in the region, but also had a profound impact on the regional and international political and economic order. In the future, as the situation develops, the Middle East may fall into a more complex and dangerous situation, and the mediation and conciliation of the international community is particularly urgent.