IDF intercepts Houthi missile fired from Yemen, in third attack in four days
Sirens sound in Jerusalem area, southern West Bank settlements and communities near Red Sea, sending hundreds of thousands to shelters; no injuries or damage reported
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military said Sunday, in what has recently become an almost daily occurrence.
Sirens had sounded in the Jerusalem area, southern West Bank settlements, and communities near the Dead Sea. Preceding the sirens by about five minutes, an early warning was issued to residents, alerting civilians of the long-range missile attack via a push notification on their phones.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. A chunk of the missile landed in the South Hebron Hills area of the West Bank.
It was the third attack in four days, and the fifth since last Sunday.
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 39 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
The Times of Israel Community.