The Media Line: Israeli Air Defenses Intercept Ballistic Missile from Yemen, Houthis Claim Responsibility

Israeli air defenses successfully intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Yemen on Monday after sirens blared across central Israel, warning of the potential threat of falling debris, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The missile was shot down by Israel’s Arrow defense system, which is designed to destroy ballistic missiles while they are still outside the atmosphere.

The missile launch was claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who said they had fired two missiles targeting military sites in central Israel. One missile, they claimed, was a Palestine 2, which allegedly “reached” its target. The group also mentioned launching a Dhu al-Fiqar missile but did not provide further details on its outcome.

Israel confirmed the interception of a surface-to-surface missile but made no mention of a second missile or any drone attacks that the Houthis claimed to have launched at Jaffa and Eilat.

The attack comes on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 terror assault on Israel, marking another escalation in a conflict that has seen over 220 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones fired from Yemen at Israel, most of them aimed at the southern city of Eilat. The Houthis have framed these attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

In recent months, the Houthis have also targeted ships traveling through the Red Sea, including over 80 merchant vessels. Their attacks have disrupted shipping routes and led to the sinking of two vessels and the deaths of four sailors. The rebel group maintains that these operations target ships linked to Israel, the US, or the UK, though many of the vessels attacked have no clear ties to the conflict.