The Israeli army on Monday (Dec 30) said that it had, once again, intercepted a missile launched by the Houthi rebels from Yemen. The missile was intercepted before it crossed into the Israeli territory.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been firing missiles and drones at Israel, in what they claim is solidarity with Palestinians, ever since the start of the war in Gaza on Oct 7, 2023.
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Missile intercepted
In a statement, the Israeli military said, “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in central Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (air force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory.”
Magen David Adom, the Israeli emergency service provider, as per AFP, reported that it had not received any reports of casualties so far.
Previously, on Saturday, Israel reported that it had intercepted a missile from Yemen.
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Houthi attacks
The Houthi rebels, in recent weeks, have claimed to have fired several missiles at Israel, including at the capital Tel Aviv. Their attacks triggered retaliatory attacks from Israel, which targeted the rebels’ strategic assets and infrastructure.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes have included targets like the Sanaa International Airport — a major entry point for humanitarian aid — power stations as well as other facilities at several ports.
These sites are used by the Houthis to “smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and for the entry of senior Iranian officials”, said Israel in a statement.
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The United States and the United Kingdoms too have responded to the rebel attacks in Red Sea-area waters vital to global trade, and have repeatedly struck Houthi targets in Yemen this year.
(With inputs from agencies)