Video Shows Israeli Passenger Plane Land Amid Rocket Fire

A new video is circulating online showing a passenger airplane touching down in Israel amid volleys of rocket fire.

Israel is currently engaged in a heated conflict with Hamas, a militant Palestinian organization based in the Gaza region, following a historically violent attack by the latter on October 7 that killed around 1,200 Israeli residents, according to the Associated Press. In retaliation, Israeli military forces have carried out airstrikes in Gaza, with the AP reporting that over 17,000 Palestinians in the region have been killed so far.

The incident took place on Friday evening at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, the second-most populous city in Israel behind Jerusalem. A flight operated by the Israeli company Arkia Airlines was arriving at the airport en route from Eilat, a resort city on the coast of the Jordan Sea.

As can be seen in the video, the plane made its descent into Ben Gurion amid a hail of rocket fire, which reports indicate emerged from Hamas fighters in Gaza and in response from Israel's state-of-the-art "Iron Dome" defense system. Designed by Israeli forces, the Iron Dome system is able to target and intercept lower-tech rockets and artillery fire.

"Last night during the shooting from Gaza towards the central settlements - a plane was recorded landing in Israel against the background of the interceptions of the Iron Dome," Israel's N12 News wrote in a post to X, the platform previously known as Twitter.

Newsweek reached out to Arkia Airline via email for comment.

"Hamas is a terror organization which fires rockets indiscriminately at civilian areas, including airports," the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) wrote in a statement to Newsweek. "The IDF's Iron Dome Aerial Defense System protects Israeli civilians and allows them to maintain relative routine throughout the war."

The Times of Israel reported Sunday that not only Tel Aviv, but also the cities of Rehovot and Bat Yam were targeted in the strikes from Friday evening. As the plane was making its landing, sirens were also sounding in nearby areas like Kfar Chabad, Or Yehuda, and Rishon Lezion, urging residents to take shelter.

Speaking with N12 News on Saturday, retired Israeli Air Force commander Eitan Ben Eliyahu explained that, unlike fighter jets, commercial airliners lack the speed and maneuverability to evade missiles. Pilots can instead attempt to take their craft to a higher altitude, so as to land at a different location, depending on their fuel levels.

"There is some risk, but it's relatively low," Ben Eliyahu said.

In another post to X, N12 News shared footage of the rockets taken by travelers in the air, writing that "passengers recorded the interceptions from inside the plane during last night's barrage to Gush Dan."

Updated 12/11/2023, 6:28 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the IDF.

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