British Airways suspends Israel flights after crew caught up in Houthi missile strike

British Airways has suspended flights to and from Israel after crew were caught up .

The airline axed services until tomorrow after Iran-backed Houthis fired from Yemen into Ben Gurion airport on Sunday, injuring six people. The suspension affects all flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including flight BA405 on Wednesday, 7 May. BA issued a statement emphasising their commitment to passenger and staff welfare.

A spokesperson told The : "The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority. We continually monitor operating conditions and have made the decision to suspend our flights to and from Tel Aviv, up to and including BA403 on Thursday, 8 May. We've apologised to our customers for the inconvenience."

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British Airways crew who had been staying in Tel Aviv between flights were later flown out to Vienna in Austria. One stewardess said: “We’re all glad to be out of there.”

A missile launched by Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen briefly halted flights and commuter traffic at ’s main international airport on Sunday after its impact near an access road caused panic among passengers.

The attack on Ben-Gurion International Airport came hours before Cabinet ministers were set to vote on whether to intensify military operations in Gaza. The army was calling up tens of thousands of reserves, Israel’s chief of staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir said.

Israel’s army said it was the first time a missile struck the airport grounds since the war in Gaza began. The military said initial findings indicated the likely cause was a technical issue with the interceptor.

Multiple international airlines have cancelled or postponed flights. The war with Hamas in Gaza and then Hezbollah in Lebanon had led a wave of airlines to suspend flights to Israel. Many had resumed in recent months.

British Airways has apologised to customers for any inconvenience caused by the disruption. This is not the first time BA has halted its Israel service in recent months as flights were paused between Tel Aviv and London last October and they only resumed on April 5.

The Houthis have targeted Israel throughout the war in solidarity with Palestinians, raising their profile at home and internationally as the last member of Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” capable of launching regular attacks on Israel. The US military under President has launched an intensified campaign of daily airstrikes targeting the Houthis since March 15.