The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Wednesday that they launched a new missile toward Israel, marking another escalation in their involvement in the ongoing conflict.
The Houthis, supported by Iran, are part of the so-called "axis of resistance," a coalition of groups opposing Israel, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and various Iraqi militias © Mena Today
The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Wednesday that they launched a new missile toward Israel, marking another escalation in their involvement in the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported intercepting the projectile, launched from Yemeni territory, before it could enter Israeli airspace.
Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Iran-backed Houthis, declared that a "Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile" had successfully struck a "military target" in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv. Saree’s statement claimed the strike was a continuation of their solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Contrary to the Houthi claim, the IDF confirmed earlier via Telegram that it intercepted the missile over international waters. In response to potential debris fallout, precautionary sirens were activated across central Israel.
This is the latest in a series of missile launches by the Houthis, who have increased their military activities against Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023, following the unprecedented Hamas assault on Israeli territory.
On Tuesday, the Houthis claimed another missile launch targeting central Israel, which the IDF also intercepted without casualties.
The Houthis, supported by Iran, are part of the so-called "axis of resistance," a coalition of groups opposing Israel, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and various Iraqi militias.
The rebels frequently target shipping linked to Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, drawing retaliatory strikes from U.S. forces and occasionally British forces.
The IDF has vowed to neutralize the threat from Yemen. Following a missile strike on Saturday that evaded interception, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in Parliament that the military had been directed to "destroy the infrastructure" of the Houthi rebels.
Netanyahu emphasized, "Anyone who attempts to harm us must be struck with great force."
Iran believes reaching an agreement on its nuclear programme with the United States is possible as long as Washington is realistic, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday on the eve of a second round of talks with the Trump administration.
U.S. strikes on Yemen's Ras Isa fuel port have killed at least 74 people in the deadliest attack since the U.S. launched its large-scale campaign against the Houthis last month, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.
With his campaign promises unfulfilled to quickly bring peace to Gaza and Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump has turned to another high-profile challenge that could be just as elusive: curbing Iran's escalating nuclear program.
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