- Houthis hit central Israel for first time, PM Netanyahu vows ‘heavy price’
- Missile hit an uninhabited area
- Israel investigating how their air defence system failed to intercept it
- Houthis claim they are using a new type of hypersonic missile
Houthis Hit Central Israel For First Time, Netanyahu Vows ‘Heavy Price’ For Strike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels will pay a “heavy price” after they launched a missile that landed in central Israel on Sunday.
According to the Israeli military, the missile hit an uninhabited area, and shrapnel found nearby suggests that air defence systems failed to intercept it before it entered Israeli airspace. The military is investigating how the missile was able to travel so far, with central Israel being about 2,000km (1,240 miles) from Yemen.
This is the first time a missile fired by the Houthis has reached central Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported multiple attempts to shoot down the missile, which appeared to fragment in mid-air.
The Houthis claim they used a new type of hypersonic missile in the attack, which could explain the failure of Israeli interception efforts. The group, which controls much of Yemen amidst its ongoing civil war, is aligned with Iran and part of the so-called “axis of resistance” against Israel and its Western allies.
In a statement, the Houthis said the strike was carried out in support of the Palestinians and warned of more attacks as the anniversary of the October 7 attacks approaches.
Fragments of the missile landed at a railway station in Modiin, causing damage, and also in open areas near Tel Aviv’s main international airport. The damage is believed to have been caused by Israel’s own interceptor missiles.