IDF says Houthi missile intercepted; shrapnel falls in West Bank

Air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen early on Sunday evening, according to the military.

The Houthis claimed to have fired two missiles in the attack, one targeting the Sdot Micha Airbase — where according to foreign reports Israel holds nuclear-capable Jericho missiles — and the other aimed at Ben Gurion Airport.

The Israel Defense Forces reported that only one missile reached Israel, and was successfully intercepted by air defenses. The second likely fell short, similar to numerous other recent Houthi attacks.

There were no injuries or major damage in the missile attack, though shrapnel from the interception reportedly fell in the Hebron area in the West Bank.

Sirens sounded across central Israel, Jerusalem, and in some West Bank settlements.

The Houthis further claimed to have targeted a “vital Israeli enemy target” in the Ashkelon area with a drone, but there were no reports of aircraft reaching Israel from Yemen in the past day.

ترجمة قدس| صور جديدة.. العثور على شظايا صـــاروخية في دورا جنوب الخليل، بعد إطلاق صــــاروخين من اليمن. pic.twitter.com/6tXYA1yYXD

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 13, 2025

Hours later, the Houthis said a US strike in Sanaa province killed five people and injured more than a dozen others.

“The death toll from the US aggression on the Al-Sawari factory in the Matna area of Bani Matar has risen to 18, including five martyrs and 13 wounded, in a preliminary toll,” the Iran-backed group said in a statement.

Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched more than 20 ballistic missiles and several drones at Israel. Only half of the missiles set off sirens in Israel and were intercepted, while the others fell short.

The US military began an intense campaign of airstrikes March 15 after the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid to the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.

At least 100 people, including an intelligence commander, have been killed in the campaign, according to casualty figures released last week by the Houthis.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month that the US strikes have destroyed underground facilities, weapons manufacturing sites, bunkers, troops and air defense assets.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for launching two drones at “military targets” in the Tel Aviv area on Friday, and on Wednesday, a ballistic missile they launched, apparently aimed at Israel, landed in Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.

The Houthis began their attacks in support of Palestinian terror group Hamas, which on October 7, 2023, invaded southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages to Gaza, triggering the ongoing war there.

Agencies contributed to this report.