Houthis fire ‘hypersonic’ missile at Tel Aviv

Israel claims to have shot down the incoming rocket without casualties

The Houthi movement that controls much of Yemen claimed on Monday to have successfully struck a target near Tel Aviv with a hypersonic ballistic missile. Israel said the missile was shot down on approach and caused no casualties.

The Yemeni Shia group has blockaded the Red Sea and launched missiles and drones at Israel for months, seeking to halt West Jerusalem’s offensive against the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised address on Monday that a “military target” near Tel Aviv was successfully struck with a hypersonic missile, declaring the operation a success.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a missile launched from Yemen was shot down before it entered Israeli airspace, and that air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and the vicinity out of fear that falling shrapnel could cause injuries.

According to the IDF, the remains of the missile fell in the West Bank without harming anyone.

Five people were lightly injured while running for cover in Tel Aviv, Petah Tikvah, Kfar Saba, Holon, and Em Hamoshavot, the Israeli ambulance service has said.

The Houthis have launched at least five drones and six ballistic missiles at Israel since November. A drone struck a building in the city of Yavne last week, causing significant property damage but no casualties. The IDF later said that the UAV was mistakenly flagged as non-threatening, so the sirens did not go off, according to Israeli media.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is reportedly preparing to launch another strike on Yemen in response to the missile attacks. Israel already bombed the Houthis in July and September.

The US and the UK struck Houthi sites in Hodeidah province on Sunday, according to local media.

Israel declared war on Hamas after the Gaza-based organization carried out a series of raids from the enclave on October 7 of last year. The Houthis have responded by targeting Israeli ships trying to enter or leave the Red Sea, and later expanded their target list to US- and UK-linked vessels as well. Houthi harassment has caused major disruptions to global shipping.