Ben Gurion Airport, one of Israel’s most vital transportation hubs, has resumed operations after being shut down due to escalating conflict with Iran. Despite successive missile attacks, the airport sustained minimal damage. On Wednesday, June 18, authorities confirmed that the airport is now operational again.
According to The Times of Israel, the first international flight landed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv since flights were suspended following Iranian missile strikes. The flight brought back a group of Israeli nationals who had been stranded abroad, arriving from Larnaca, Cyprus.
Due to the closure of Israeli airspace amid the conflict, thousands of Israeli citizens were stuck overseas. Several Israeli airlines—including El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa—have participated in repatriation efforts to bring them home.
Meanwhile, missile strikes on Israeli territory continue. Jordanian media outlet Roya News reported that at least 30 Iranian missiles struck various locations in Israel within a span of just 20 minutes.
Just after midnight, two successive waves of missile attacks hit central Israel. Soon after, multiple cities across the country were targeted in a barrage of rockets. Citing both Israeli and Iranian sources, reports confirm that 30 ballistic missiles struck within 20 minutes.
These attacks followed a declaration of war by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called on Iranian forces to show “no mercy” to Israelis. The missile strikes on Tuesday midnight (June 17) and early Wednesday morning (June 18) triggered powerful explosions heard across Israel.
