The Houthi movement that controls much of Yemen claimed on Monday, to have struck a target near Tel Aviv with a hypersonic ballistic missile.
According to the Israeli military, sirens sounded across central Israel on Monday as it intercepted a missile from Yemen.
The Houthis have launched several attacks against Israel from Yemen since the war in Gaza began more than a year ago. Their aim? The group said they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the missile successfully struck a “military target” near Tel Aviv. However, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claim that the missile was intercepted before it could cause any damage.
According to the IDF, One missile launched from Yemeni territory was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory. Alerts for missile and rocket fire were activated due to fears of falling fragments from the interception.
Meanwhile, The Israeli Air Force conducted drone strikes on multiple rocket launchers in Southern Lebanon this morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The launchers were targeted at Israel and violated the Ceasefire Agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF also stated that the remains of the missile fell in the West Bank without causalities.
The Israel ambulance service said five people were lightly injured while running for cover in Tel Aviv, Petah Tikvah, Kfar Saba, Holon, and Em Hamoshavot.
Could this be a game-changer in the Middle East? Or is it just another chapter in the long saga of propaganda and psychological warfare? The Houthis have been known to exaggerate their capabilities, and this could very well be another instance of that.
Since November, the Houthis have launched at least five drones and six ballistic missiles at Israel. Last week, a drone struck a building in the city of Yavne causing significant property damage but no casualties.
According to Israeli media, the IDF later reported that the UAV was mistakenly flagged as non-threatening, so the sirens did not go off.
How will Israel respond to the latest strike by the Houthis? Well, Israel is not taking the strike lightly. Israel has bombed Houthis in July and September. This time round, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is reportedly preparing to launch a stronger strike on the Houthis, who have continued their hostile activities despite a cease-fire agreement in Lebanon with Hezbollah.
A senior Israeli official stated that “The Houthis will pay a heavy price” suggesting the possibility of a more significant retaliatory strike than the last Israeli action against the Houthis in September.
Regardless of the truth behind this missile strike, one thing is clear: the Middle East is a tinderbox, and it won’t take much to ignite a full-blown regional conflict.
Hezam al-Asad, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, posted on X: “The Israeli enemy will pay the price for its continued brutal aggression and siege on our people in Gaza, as well as its attacks and invasions in Syria.”
He added: “We renew our jihadist stance in support of our people in Gaza, relying on God and confident in our victory. Let the Zionist enemy and its supporters know that what is coming will be worse as long as the attacks and siege on our brothers continue.”
Could this be the spark for an even larger Middle Eastern conflict?”
