The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen fired a ballistic missile at Israel on Tuesday, which the Israel Defense Forces successfully intercepted, the military said.
The attack set off sirens across central Israel and the Jerusalem area, alerting millions to enter shelters or protected rooms.
There were no reports of impacts or injuries.
The Houthi rebels — who control a large part of Yemen, including its capital Sanaa, but are not the country’s internationally recognized government — took responsibility for the missile launch, claiming to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport.
Tuesday’s attack was the first such incident since the Houthis fired a ballistic missile at Israel on Friday night. That missile, too, was intercepted successfully.
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On Monday, Israeli Air Force drones struck Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Hodeida port in response to the Iran-backed group’s continued attacks.
The army said in a statement that the airstrikes destroyed “military infrastructure of the Houthi terror regime” at the western Yemen port, after attempts were made by the Houthis to repair areas previously targeted by Israel in response to missile and drone attacks.
Monday’s sortie marked the thirteenth time Israel has attacked Yemen, located some 1,800 kilometers away.
Yemenis lift placards and flags during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in the Houthi-run capital Sanaa on July 25, 2025. (Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The Houthis held their fire when a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. By that point, they had fired over 40 ballistic missiles and dozens of attack drones and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that killed a civilian and wounded several others in Tel Aviv in July, prompting Israel’s first strike in Yemen.
Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 66 ballistic missiles and at least 17 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
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