Houthis claim responsibility for missile Israel says it intercepted
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen fired a missile on Tuesday aimed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, but it was intercepted by the Israeli military, information provided separately by both sides of the conflict showed.
The Houthis announced on Telegram that it had targeted Israel’s largest airport and had also sent drones towards “three sensitive” targets in Israel.
The Israeli military, also on Telegram, said it had intercepted “a missile that was launched from Yemen.” Alarms were also triggered in the greater Tel Aviv area and in Jerusalem.
After the attack, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened the Houthis with the same fate as Iran.
“After we struck the snake’s head in Tehran, we will also strike the Houthis in Yemen,” Katz said, according to his office. “Whoever raises a hand against Israel – their hand will be cut off,” he added.
Israel attacked Iran on June 13 in what it said was an effort to cripple Iran’s nuclear defence programme. Iran says it is only developing nuclear capabilities for civilian use.
US ambassador Huckabee threatens Iran
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, wrote on the platform X that he thought missile attacks on Israel were over, but with Tuesday’s Houthi incident that seems not to be the case.
“Maybe those B-2 bombers need to visit Yemen!” he threatened. Stealth bombers of the B-2 type were used in US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities to drop massive bunker-busting bombs. The US military is the only force in possession of these aircraft.
Earlier rockets from Gaza
Shortly before the Houthi attack, extremist Palestinians from the Gaza Strip had again fired two rockets at Israeli territory. The projectiles were also intercepted by the missile defence system, the military said in a statement.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, members of the Houthi militia in Yemen have regularly attacked Israel with missiles and drones as an expression of their solidarity with the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement.
The Israeli Air Force has frequently responded with airstrikes on militia targets in Yemen. Both the Houthi militia and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are allies of Iran.
