A ballistic missile launched by Houthi terrorists in Yemen on Friday night likely broke apart mid-air before reaching Israel, the IDF said.
The military said it made several attempts to intercept the missile during the attack, which set off air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and parts of Judea and Samaria.
No injuries or damage were reported.
The Israeli Air Force is checking whether the missile contained three warheads, but no confirmation has been made, Israel’s Channel 12 reported. If this turns out to be the case, it would be the first time the Houthis fire such a missile, the report added.
The launch came hours after the Air Force intercepted a drone fired by the Iranian-backed Houthis, which triggered air-raid sirens in communities near the Gaza border.
Since the end of the Gaza ceasefire on March 18, the Houthis have fired more than 70 ballistic missiles and over 20 drones at Israel.
On Sunday, the IDF targeted a power station in the Saana area of Houthi-controlled Yemen in response to the repeated attacks.
According to reports, the Israeli Navy carried out the strike, marking the second time naval forces have been used against the Iranian-backed group instead of the Air Force. On June 10, Israeli missile boats targeted terror sites at the port of Hudaydah.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has vowed to extract a heavy toll from the Houthis, saying they “will pay with interest for every attempt to fire at Israel.”
“We are imposing an air and sea blockade on them that hurts them greatly,” he said on Sunday, adding, “This is just the beginning. What follows will be powerful and painful. Whoever raises a hand against Israel, their hand will be cut off.”
The Houthis have been launching missile and drone attacks on the Jewish state—including a hit near Ben-Gurion International Airport on May 4—since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
“The Houthi terrorist regime operates under the direction and funding of the Iranian regime, in order to harm the State of Israel and its allies. The terrorist regime exploits the maritime domain to project force and carry out terror activity against global shipping and trade routes,” said the IDF earlier this week.
“The IDF will operate against the ongoing and repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime, and remains determined to continue removing any threat to the State of Israel, wherever required.”
