A ballistic missile fired from Yemen at Israel was successfully intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace, the Israeli military reported on Monday. This marks the second missile strike from Yemen in recent days. The missile, launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, targeted the Israel Defense Forces’ Nahal Sorek base, located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The base houses Israel’s Ammunition Center, responsible for managing a wide array of weaponry.
The missile attack triggered air raid sirens in the Beit Shemesh area of central Israel and parts of the southern West Bank. Shrapnel from the intercepting missile caused a fire in Beit Shemesh, prompting emergency services to respond. Firefighters conducted additional scans in the area to ensure no further damage occurred.
Simultaneously, the Israeli military reported that it had intercepted four drones launched from Iraq toward Israel. Two drones were successfully shot down before reaching Israeli territory. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed militia, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it targeted “vital” locations in northern and southern Israel.
These attacks come as the Houthis continue to show support for Hamas, which launched an assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, sparking the ongoing Gaza conflict. The Houthis have targeted Israel and global shipping over the past year, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to the Houthis’ missile and drone attacks, the United States and United Kingdom have carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. These strikes have targeted advanced weapon storage facilities used by the Houthis to disrupt maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Pentagon confirmed that US warplanes recently struck these sites, which have been a significant threat to international shipping routes, including those vital to global trade.
The Houthis, for their part, have fired over 220 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Israel in the past year, and have also launched several attacks on international shipping. Meanwhile, Israel has retaliated with airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including a strike that killed a civilian in Tel Aviv.
In the past month, Iraq’s Islamic Resistance has also been involved in multiple drone attacks on Israel, with one such attack killing two soldiers and injuring 24 others.
These developments highlight the ongoing regional tensions and the complex web of conflict involving Israel, Yemen, Iraq, and the broader Middle East.