Yemen's Houthis Announce Missile Strike on Israel
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On January 18, Yemen's Houthi group declared that they targeted the Israeli Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile, citing support for the Palestinian people. Despite claims of accurate strikes, the Israeli military reported interception of the missile, while the region remains tense amid ongoing retaliatory actions.
Key Takeaways
- Houthi missile strike on Israeli Defence Ministry.
- Claims of high accuracy and interception failure.
- Israel reports no casualties.
- Ceasefire in Gaza reached amid ongoing tensions.
- US-led coalition conducting airstrikes on Houthi positions.
Sanaa, Jan 18 (NationPress) The Houthi movement from Yemen announced on Saturday that it successfully executed a ballistic missile strike earlier that day, aiming at the Israeli Defence Ministry located in Tel Aviv.
Yahya Sarea, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, stated, "In solidarity with the Palestinian people and their fighters (Hamas), we conducted a significant military operation, targeting the Ministry of Defence of the Israeli adversary in Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile," as reported on the Houthi-operated al-Masirah TV.
He further claimed, "The missile effectively hit its intended target with remarkable precision, and the Israeli interception systems were unable to thwart it."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on Saturday confirming that they intercepted a missile launched from Yemen aimed at central Israel.
According to Israel's national emergency service, Magen David Adom, there were no casualties reported, aside from instances of panic attacks and individuals sustaining minor injuries while seeking shelter, as reported by Xinhua.
A ceasefire agreement concerning Gaza was reached on Wednesday following mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, concluding 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, with the ceasefire scheduled to take effect on Sunday.
On Thursday, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi group, declared that they would persist in their attacks against Israel if the bombardments on Gaza continued.
Since November 2023, the Houthi rebels, who exert control over a large portion of northern Yemen, have been conducting rocket and drone strikes against Israel and disrupting Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea in a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In retaliation, Israel has initiated rounds of airstrikes targeting Houthi positions. Additionally, a US-led naval coalition in the region has been actively conducting air raids and strikes on Houthi sites since January 2024 in a collaborative effort to deter the armed group, prompting the Houthis to broaden their attacks to include US naval vessels.
