Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Launch Attack on Israel
On Wednesday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that they fired a ballistic missile and two drones towards Israel. This follows a recent attack on Tel Aviv that injured 16 people.
The Israeli military reported that they successfully intercepted the missile, while one of the drones “fell in an open area” as air raid sirens sounded in southern Israel, close to the Gaza Strip.
According to a statement from the Houthis, their drone units carried out operations targeting Israel’s major city, Tel Aviv, and the southern region of Ashkelon. They stated that the missile was also directed at the Tel Aviv area, but Israeli forces claimed it was shot down before it could enter their airspace. The Houthis referred to the missile as a "hypersonic ballistic missile, type Palestine 2."
Since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza over a year ago, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israel in support of the Palestinian cause. Most of their missiles have been intercepted, but a recent strike on Tel Aviv led to injuries, prompting a stern warning from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He stated that Israel would respond to Houthi threats “with force, determination, and sophistication.”
During Wednesday’s attack, air raid sirens rang out across a large area of central Israel as a safety measure against falling debris. The military confirmed that the missile launched from Yemen was intercepted before it could hit Israeli territory, and there were no reported injuries from this latest incident, according to Israel’s emergency medical services.
The Israeli army also reported intercepting another projectile fired from Yemen just a day before. In a previous incident in July, a drone attack by the Houthis resulted in the death of an Israeli civilian, which led to retaliatory strikes on the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
In addition to these attacks, the Houthis have periodically targeted shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, prompting responses from U.S. and British forces.
