In central Israel, nine people were injured as air raid sirens sounded and a ballistic missile launched from Yemen landed in an open field outside Tel Aviv. The sirens, the first in the region in months, caused panic with people racing to shelters, including at Ben Gurion international airport which has since returned to normal operations. Video footage showed a fire in a rural area near Tel Aviv, with firefighters extinguishing the blaze. Injured individuals were in “mild condition” and being treated at nearby hospitals, with no reports of deaths or serious damage.
The Israel Defense Forces originally reported a “surface-to-surface missile” crossing into central Israel from the East and falling in an open area but later clarified that it was launched from Yemen, with the interception result still under review. The Houthi rebels, claiming responsibility for the attack, stated that Israel should “expect more strikes” in retaliation for Israel’s previous attack on Al Hudaydah in July.
The recent missile covered a distance of 2040 kilometers in 11-and-a-half minutes and was aimed at a military target in Jaffa, southern Tel Aviv. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has led to retaliatory strikes between Israel and Houthi rebels. The Houthis view their actions against Israel as part of defending Palestinians in Gaza and have previously targeted Israel with drones. Israel has responded with airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen but has not indicated if there will be further retaliation following the latest strikes.
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