The Israeli military said on Wednesday it intercepted two missiles fired from Yemen, hours after Huthi rebels vowed to retaliate for the killing of their prime minister in an Israeli airstrike last week.
In two separate statements issued nearly 10 hours apart, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that both projectiles were intercepted and that air raid sirens had sounded on each occasion. The first interception marked the first time a missile fired from Yemen had triggered sirens inside Israel, according to the military.
The launches came days after an Israeli strike on Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, killed Huthi prime minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi along with 11 other senior officials. The assassination has significantly escalated tensions in the region, with the Iran-backed group vowing revenge.
Ahead of the second Israeli military announcement, Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for firing two missiles at “targets in the Tel Aviv area,” describing the action as part of their “initial response to the Israeli aggression against our country.”
“Our operations will continue at an escalating pace during the coming period,” Saree warned, signaling a possible new phase in the conflict.
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Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, the Houthis have carried out multiple drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, insisting their operations are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians. While many of their projectiles have been intercepted by Israel or allied forces, Wednesday’s incidents underscore the growing reach of the group’s long-range arsenal.
Israel, for its part, has responded with a series of retaliatory strikes on Huthi-controlled territories in Yemen, including ports and strategic infrastructure in Sanaa. The strikes are aimed at degrading the group’s ability to carry out further attacks, though analysts warn they risk deepening regional instability.
The exchange of fire highlights the widening scope of the Israel-Hamas conflict, drawing in regional actors and raising concerns of a broader confrontation that could stretch beyond Gaza. With the Houthis vowing continued attacks, Israel faces the prospect of managing simultaneous threats from multiple fronts.