IDF intercepts missile from Yemen; debris lands in West Bank settlement
No injuries reported as sirens sound in Israel for third day in a row; Trump says US could ‘go back on the offensive’ if Houthis resume attacks despite ceasefire
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 Thursday evening, the military said.
A large chunk of debris from the intercepted missile landed in the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut.
No injuries were reported.
Sirens had sounded across central Israel and the Jerusalem area. Preceding the sirens by some three minutes, an early warning was issued to residents, alerting civilians of the long-range missile attack via a push notification on their phones.
This is the third day in a row in which a Houthi-launched missile reached Israeli airspace and was intercepted.
In addition, on Tuesday, a ballistic missile launched from Yemen, apparently aimed at Israel, fell short far from the country. A missile fired from Yemen also fell short on Monday, according to an Israeli defense source.
A large chunk of debris from the intercepted Houthi ballistic missile landed in the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut.
No injuries were caused. pic.twitter.com/621CLfDYlF
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 15, 2025
The missile attack coincides with US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf. Trump announced earlier in May that he reached a ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthis that would halt attacks on US vessels, though the Houthis vowed to continue attacking Israel.
Trump said Thursday during a visit to Qatar that the US would “go back on the offensive” if the Houthis breach the deal.
“We’re dealing with the Houthis, and that was, I think, very successful. But maybe tomorrow an attack will be made, in which case we go back on the offensive,” Trump said.
The latest attacks on Israel came a week after it carried out two days of heavy sorties targeting infrastructure controlled by the Houthis in response to a missile that struck inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport. After the airport was hit, most foreign airlines suspended flights to Israel.
Shortly after Wednesday’s missile attack, IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning to the three Houthi-controlled ports in western Yemen, saying, “Due to the Houthi terror regime’s use of ports for its terror activities, we urge all those present at these ports to evacuate and stay away from them for your own safety until further notice.”
He gave a similar warning on Sunday, but so far, no strikes have been carried out in Yemen this week.
The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and 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 have launched 34 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
The sirens warning of missile attacks have sent hundreds of thousands of Israelis rushing to shelters at all hours of the day and night.
The Times of Israel Community.