An Air India flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi on Sunday as there was a missile attack near the airport in the Israeli capital, according to news agency PTI. Subsequently, Air India flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended till May 6.
An airport official at Tel Aviv also confirmed the diversion of the flight, as per AFP.
The attack took place less than an hour before the flight was to land at Tel Aviv, PTI reported quoting sources.
The Air India flight AI139, operated with a Boeing 787 aircraft, will be coming back to Delhi, the sources added.
According to data available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, the Air India flight in question was in the airspace of Jordan when the authorities decided to divert it to Abu Dhabi.
Air India’s flight from Tel Aviv to Delhi has been cancelled for Sunday.
Air traffic to the Tel Aviv airport was briefly suspended after a missile launched from Yemen landed near the Tel Aviv airport.
Air India issues statement, flights suspended till May 6
Hours after the diversion, Air India issued a statement regarding the incident.
“Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv of 3 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,” it said.
A spokesperson for the company said its flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till May 6.
“Consequently, our operations to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended with immediate effect till 6 May 2025, to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. Our staff on ground is assisting customers and helping them with alternative arrangements,” as per the statement.
Other airlines suspend, cancel flights
Some flights, including by Air India, TUS Airways and Lufthansa Group, were cancelled. Others, including to U.S. airports Newark and JFK, were delayed by about 90 minutes, as per Reuters.
British Airways said it was suspending all flights to and from Tel Aviv until May 7.
“We continually monitor operating conditions and have made the decision to suspend all our flights to and from Tel Aviv, up to and including BA405 on Wednesday, 7 May,” the airline said in a statement sent to AFP.
German carrier Lufthansa and Spanish airline Air Europa have also halted flight operations to and from Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, Delta Airlines has cancelled its flight from the JFK airport to Tel Aviv scheduled for Sunday.
Customers will be offered a full refund on cancellation or one time waiver on fee for rescheduling.
“Customers booked on our flights with valid tickets between 3 and 6 May 2025 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling or full refunds for cancellation. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority,” the spokesperson said in the statement.
Missile attack on Israel
A missile landed inside the perimeter of Israel’s main airport on Sunday. Six people were injured in the attack, while flight operations were halted reported AFP. The missile gouged a wide crater on the impacted area.
The responsibility of the attack was claimed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Houthi rebels have been striking Israel throughout the war in Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians. The attack on Ben-Gurion International Airport came hours before top Israeli Cabinet ministers were set to vote on whether to intensify the country’s military operations in the Gaza Strip.
A plume of smoke was visible at the airport, according to footage shared by Israeli media. Passengers were heard yelling and scrambling for cover.
Claiming responsibility for the strike, the Houthis’ military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Israel’s main airport was “no longer safe for air travel”.
In a statement after the strike, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “Whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold.”
Israel’s Channel 12 News said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would meet security ministers and defence officials on Sunday to discuss a response.
