Interception of Missile Launched from Yemen Confirmed by Israel
Hey there! Recently, Israel's air defenses went into action on a Saturday night, intercepting a missile that was fired from Yemen. A few regions in Israel, including Jerusalem, experienced air raid sirens due to this incident. The Houthi rebels from Yemen also reported American airstrikes on their positions, but details are scanty.
According to a statement from the Israeli army, a missile was launched from Yemen in the wee hours, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully intercepted. An AFP journalist in Jerusalem admitted to hearing the sirens blaring in the middle of the night. However, the location of the missile interception was not initially disclosed.
Meanwhile, Yemen's official Houthi news agency, Saba, announced overnight airstrikes, which it attributed to the United States, on the capital Sanaa, the neighboring district of Bani Hashish, and Khab al-Shaaf (north). But it failed to provide any further information.
It's worth noting that since the escalation of the war in the Gaza Strip back in October 2023, the Houthis in Yemen have fired numerous missiles and drones at Israel, with support from Iran. They've even targeted ships believed to be linked to Israel in the Red Sea, a crucial area for global maritime traffic.
In January 2024, under President Joe Biden, the U.S. began taking action against Houthi positions in an attempt to make them cease their attacks. This campaign had gained momentum post Donald Trump's return to the White House.
The Pentagon announced towards the end of April that it had targeted over 800 sites in Yemen since mid-March, resulting in the death of hundreds of Houthi fighters, including some of their leaders. However, it's crucial to mention that there's been no direct U.S. military involvement reported in the recent missile exchanges between Israel and the Houthis.
Intriguingly, on May 2, 2025, the Houthis fired two ballistic missiles towards Israel. While Israel's air defenses successfully thwarted both attacks, debris from one intercept damaged a kindergarten in Kibbutz Mishmar Ha'emek, causing a minor injury. It's believed the Houthis claimed responsibility for firing a hypersonic ballistic missile during this attack, as part of their escalating assaults against Israeli targets.
- The missile that was launched from Yemen during the recent incident in January 2024 was intercepted by Israel's air defenses.
- In the same January 2024 incident, air raid sirens were heard in regions of Israel, including Jerusalem.
- The Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been firing missiles and drones at Israel since the escalation of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, claimed responsibility for the missile fired in January 2024.
- Despite the recent missile exchanges between Israel and the Houthis, there's been no direct U.S. military involvement reported in these exchanges.
