A missile launched by the Houthi group in Yemen hit central Israel for the first time, marking an escalation in their ongoing attacks in solidarity with Palestinians.
The Iran-aligned Houthi group, which controls northern Yemen, fired a missile that reached central Israel for the first time on Sunday morning. The missile, a new hypersonic ballistic weapon, was launched in what the Houthis described as an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea announced that the missile traveled a remarkable 2,040 kilometers (1,270 miles) in just over 11 minutes. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the missile fell in an open area, according to Israel’s military.
“Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in central Israel, a surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing into central Israel from the east and fell in an open area. No injuries were reported,” the Israeli military stated.
The missile strike triggered air raid sirens across Tel Aviv and central Israel at around 6:35 a.m. local time (0335 GMT), prompting residents to seek shelter. Loud explosions were heard, which the Israeli military attributed to missile interception attempts. Despite claims from Houthi sources that “20 missiles failed to intercept” the strike, Israeli officials did not confirm this.
This marks the first time a Houthi missile has reached central Israel, as previous attempts had fallen short, with one landing near the Red Sea port of Eilat in March. The Houthis have consistently launched missiles and drones at Israel since the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated in October, positioning their actions as support for the Palestinian cause.
In addition to missile strikes, the Houthis have attacked Israel with drones. In July, a Houthi drone hit Tel Aviv, killing one person and injuring four others. That incident led to Israeli airstrikes on Houthi military targets near the port of Hodeidah, resulting in six deaths and 80 injuries.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their strikes. Sarea stated that more attacks would follow, especially as the anniversary of the October 7 operation approaches. “Israel should expect more strikes in the future,” Sarea warned, referring to retaliatory measures for Israeli actions in Gaza and Hodeidah.
Houthi spokesperson Nasruddin Amer celebrated the missile strike, calling it the “beginning” and claiming it had reached Israel after multiple failed interception attempts.
Sunday’s events also saw tensions flare on Israel’s northern front. The Israeli military reported that 40 projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israeli territory, all of which were either intercepted or landed in open areas. No injuries were reported from those attacks either.
The ongoing hostilities, with missile strikes from multiple fronts, continue to raise concerns about further escalations in the region.
