Air India has suspended all its flight operations to and from Israel’s capital, Tel Aviv, for the next two days in the wake of a missile attack by the Houthi rebels at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning. Following the Houthi missile strike, an Air India flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi.

Speaking on the matter, an Air India spokesperson said that the diverted flight landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi.

As a consequence of the Houthi missile attack, the airline suspended its flights with immediate effect till May 6, 2025, to ensure the safety of customers and staff. “Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 4 May 2025 was diverted to Abu Dhabi after an incident at Ben Gurion Airport this morning. The flight has landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi, the spokesperson said.

Air India Spokesperson says, “Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 4 May 2025 was diverted to Abu Dhabi after an incident at Ben Gurion airport this morning. The flight has landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi. Consequently, our operations to and… pic.twitter.com/q63dTIP9nu
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2025

“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,” Air India said in a post on X. 

“We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains a top priority. For more information, please call our Contact Centre on 011-69329333 / 011-69329999 or visit our website http://airindia.com,” the airline further stated.

#TravelAdvisory

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 ground are assisting customers and helping…
— Air India (@airindia) May 4, 2025

On Sunday, a ballistic missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport after multiple interception attempts by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) failed. The missile attack prompted a temporary halt in all takeoffs and landings at the country’s main international airport.

However, the Israel Airport Authority confirmed the reopening of airspace following the temporary suspension of flight operations. The missile impacted a grove adjacent to an access road within the airport’s perimeter, according to the Times of Israel. However, a direct hit on terminal infrastructure was averted.

“In the area of Ben Gurion Airport, an impact was identified,” said the IDF in a statement, confirming that several attempts to intercept the missile had failed, as quoted by news agency IANS. The Israeli Air Force’s aerial defence units launched a probe into the matter to identify and ascertain the reasons behind the unsuccessful interceptions.

(With agency Inputs)