Israel Army Says Intercepted Missile Launched From Yemen

Israel's military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on Tuesday, while the Huthis claimed to have also attacked Israel with drones. 

"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" by the Israeli air force, an Israeli military statement said.

Later, Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree posted on Telegram that "the missile force of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting Lod Airport in the occupied area of Yaffa using a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile." 

He said the operation achieved its goal, "causing millions of herds of usurping Zionists to flee to shelters and halting airport operations."

Following the interception, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that "Yemen will be treated like Tehran," an apparent reference to the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran in which Israel pummelled Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as targets in the capital.

"After striking the head of the snake in Tehran, we will also strike the Huthis in Yemen. Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off," Katz said, according to a statement from his office.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have launched repeated missile and drone attacks against Israel since their Palestinian ally Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

Saree's Telegram post also mentioned drone attacks on "sensitive targets belonging to the Israeli enemy in the areas of Yaffa, Ashkelon, and Umm al-Rashrash in occupied Palestine."

On Saturday, the Huthis said they fired a ballistic missile towards Israel, the first launch against Israel announced by the Huthis since the June 24 ceasefire between Israel and Iran which ended their 12-day war.

The Huthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that ended in March, but renewed them after Israel broke the truce.

Israel has carried out several retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting Huthi-held ports and the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

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