On Sunday morning, air raid sirens rang out across central Israel as a ballistic missile, launched from Yemen, landed in an open field outside Tel Aviv. The missile’s impact caused minor injuries to nine individuals who were in the process of seeking shelter. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), this was the first time in months that such sirens had sounded in the region.
Impact and Response
The missile strike disrupted operations at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, though the airport has since returned to normal functioning. Local media reported that the missile caused a fire in a rural area near Tel Aviv, with smoke visible from a crater. Firefighters responded to the blaze. Other reports showed fragments of the missile or its interceptor landing in a train station in Modiin, approximately 20 miles southeast of Tel Aviv.
There have been no reports of fatalities or severe damage from the missile strike. The nine injured individuals are described as being in “mild condition” and are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
The IDF initially identified the missile as a “surface-to-surface missile” that crossed into central Israel from the east and fell in an open area. It later confirmed that the missile was launched from Yemen, and the outcome of any interception is still under review.
Statements and threats from Yemen
The missile attack was claimed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. In a statement, the Houthis announced that Israel should “expect more strikes,” citing the missile’s flight distance of 2,040 kilometers in 11-and-a-half minutes. The rebels claimed the missile was aimed at a “military target” in Jaffa, near southern Tel Aviv.
They stated that the attack was in retaliation for Israel’s strike on the Houthi-controlled port city of Al Hudaydah in July and to pressure Israel to cease its actions against Palestinians.
Houthi leader Nasr Al-Din Amer further warned that “this is the beginning,” signaling potential for more attacks.
Context of Ongoing Conflict
The missile strike is part of the broader regional conflict involving Israel and Houthi rebels, who have been engaged in retaliatory strikes since the onset of the nearly year-long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis view their actions against Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea as part of a defense effort for Palestinians in Gaza.
In July, a Houthi drone breached Israel’s air defense system, striking an apartment building in Tel Aviv and causing casualties. Israel responded with airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The IDF has not yet confirmed whether any retaliatory actions have been taken following the latest missile strike.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/sirens-central-israel-houthi-missile-rcna171186
More: https://exploration-echo.com/2024/09/11/gaza-israeli-airstrike-on-refugee-camp-claims-19-lives/