Houthis reach central part of Israel with missile for first time: Netanyahu promises response
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (photo: Getty Images)
A missile launched by the Houthis, who control northern Yemen, reached central Israel for the first time before being intercepted by air defense forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Houthis will pay a heavy price for the attack, reports Reuters.
A representative of the Yemeni group said the strike was carried out with a new hypersonic ballistic missile, which traveled 2,040 km in just 11.5 minutes.
An Israeli military official stated that the missile was hit by an interceptor and broke apart in mid-air, but was not destroyed.
Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and across central Israel just minutes before the strike, around 6:35 a.m. local time (03:35 GMT), forcing residents to seek shelter.
Missile debris landed in fields and near a railway station. There were no immediate casualties, but nine people sustained minor injuries while seeking cover.
At a weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the Houthis should understand that Israel will exact a heavy price for such attacks.
Houthi strikes on Israel
The Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel, claiming the attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinians.
In July, a drone crash in Tel Aviv killed one person and injured four. In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes on Houthi military targets near the port of Hodeidah killed six people and wounded 80.
Previously, Houthi missiles had not penetrated deep into Israeli airspace, with the only reported strike on Israeli territory hitting open land near the Red Sea port of Eilat in March.
On September 9, Syrian state media reported that at least four civilians were killed in multiple Israeli strikes on rural Hama in Syria. Sources indicate the strikes targeted a major military research center.
On Friday, September 13, the Israeli army struck Hezbollah military positions in southern Lebanon.
