Passengers on board a flight with the Israeli airline Arkia experienced a remarkable and nerve-wracking event as their plane descended to land at Ben-Gurion Airport. Looking out of the windows, they watched as the Iron Dome system intercepted a barrage of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza.
Plane photography enthusiasts, known as "spotters," captured the descent on video, showing the aircraft lowering over Yehud towards the Israeli runway. Meanwhile, residents of Or Yehuda, Savyon, Kiryat Ono, and other nearby cities and towns in the center and coastal plain remained in shelters following the red alert.
The precise targeting ability of the Iron Dome allowed the pilots to safely complete the landing without any interruptions. Unlike in previous rounds of fighting with Hamas, the flight wasn't given any instructions to abort the landing.
Israel's main airport sees renewed traffic amid Hamas war
Over the last week, the airport has shown a slight recovery in passenger volume, with Thursday recording the highest number in the past month, as 22,000 people traveled on 137 international flights, both incoming and outgoing.