IDF downs two missiles fired from Yemen in latest Houthi attacks
Sirens sound in northern West Bank settlements for first projectile, sending thousands to shelters; no injuries or damage reported
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Two ballistic missiles launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen were successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military said Tuesday morning, in what has recently become an almost daily occurrence.
The first missile set off sirens shortly after 5 a.m. in several northern West Bank and Jordan Valley settlements, sending thousands to bomb shelters.
Preceding the sirens by about four minutes, an early warning was issued to residents, alerting them of the long-range missile attack via a push notification on their phones.
The second missile was intercepted at around 7:30 a.m., the Israel Defense Forces said. No sirens were activated “according to protocol,” the IDF said, as no towns were under any threat.
There were no reports of injuries or damage in the attacks.
Video shared on social media purported to show the first interception.
צה"ל: יורט טיל אחד ששוגר מתימן | תיעוד@ItayBlumental pic.twitter.com/j6Du5twEO8
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 27, 2025
The missiles were the fourth and fifth Houthi attacks on Israel in five days.
Earlier this month, a Houthi missile slipped through air defenses and hit the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six people, none of them seriously.
A slew of international carriers promptly halted services to Israel, though some have since said they will resume operations.
Israel responded to that attack with strikes on Sanaa airport, causing an estimated $500 million worth of damage. On Saturday, some flights to the Yemeni airport resumed.
The Israeli Air Force has also struck the Houthi-controlled Hodeida and Salif ports in Yemen in response to the Iran-backed group’s repeated attacks on Israel. The Houthis vowed to respond and have since continued their missile attacks on Israel.
The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and general maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The Houthis held their fire when a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.
By that point, they had fired over 40 ballistic missiles and dozens of attack drones and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that killed a civilian and wounded several others in Tel Aviv in July, prompting Israel’s first strike in Yemen.
Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 41 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
The Times of Israel Community.