TEL AVIV: According to reports, the Yemeni ballistic missile successfully evaded Israeli defence systems. Hebrew media sources have confirmed that several missile attacks were carried out by Yemeni forces in the heart of Israel.
The Israeli military has acknowledged that missiles fell near the Tel Aviv airport, admitting their defence system’s failure to intercept the Yemeni missiles.
Sources indicate that Yemen used the Hatim-2 missiles, which are considered among the most advanced in the Yemeni military’s arsenal, for this attack on Israel.
Israeli army says missile from Yemen fell in central Israel
The Israeli military said a missile fired from Yemen crossed into central Israel on Sunday and “fell in an open area”.
It said in a statement that “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 missile was fired from Yemen,” it added in a subsequent statement sent just before 7:00 am (0400 GMT).
It said explosions “heard in the last few minutes” were from air-defence interceptors.
“The result of the interception is under review,” the military said.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels have been launching attacks against Israel and its perceived interests in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The rebels are part of the “axis of resistance”, which also includes Tehran-aligned militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
Since November, the Huthis have launched regular missile and drone strikes on what they deem to be Israel-linked shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, waterways vital to global trade.
And in July, they carried out a drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed an Israeli civilian.
Israeli warplanes bombed the Huthi-controlled Yemeni port of Hodeida in response, destroying much of the facility’s fuel storage capacity and killing several people, according to the rebels.
A rebel official vowed at the time to “meet escalation with escalation”. A Huthi statement last month affirmed “once again that the Yemeni response is definitely coming”.
