Israel Reports Yemeni Missile Strike in Central Region

The Israeli military reported that a missile launched from Yemen crossed into central Israel on Sunday, causing no injuries but raising tensions as the Gaza war approaches its one-year mark.

Following the missile impact, AFP photographers witnessed firefighters putting out a brush fire near Lod and observed shattered glass at a train station in Modin, both located southeast of Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial center.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels, part of the Iran-backed factions in the Middle East, have been involved in the conflict since Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel, which escalated the Gaza war. In July, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone strike that breached Israel’s air defenses, killing a civilian in Tel Aviv, approximately 1,200 miles (1,800 kilometers) from Yemen.

On Sunday, Israel’s military confirmed that “a surface-to-surface missile was detected entering central Israel from the East, landing in an open area.” No injuries were reported. Later, they confirmed the missile originated from Yemen and stated that explosions heard earlier were from air-defense interceptors. The military is still reviewing the outcome of the interception.

The Houthis have expressed their solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza conflict by launching attacks on Israel and its perceived allies. They are part of the broader “axis of resistance,” which includes other Iranian-backed militant groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.

 

Attacks on Shipping

Since November, the Houthis have launched multiple missile and drone strikes targeting shipping vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, both critical waterways for global trade. These attacks have killed several Filipino sailors and prompted U.S. military retaliation against Houthi positions.

Last month, a Houthi missile struck a Greek-flagged tanker carrying over a million barrels of crude oil, igniting a fire off the Yemeni port of Hodeida and raising concerns of an environmental disaster. A Greek defense ministry official reported on Saturday that a salvage operation was underway, with the ship being towed north under military escort.

Following the Houthis’ deadly July strike on Tel Aviv, Israel retaliated by bombing Houthi-controlled areas in Hodeida, destroying fuel storage facilities and killing several people. This marked Israel’s first declared strike in Yemen. In response, the Houthis vowed to “meet escalation with escalation,” and last month reaffirmed that “Yemen’s response is inevitable.”

 

Public Response in Israel

On Saturday, thousands of people protested across Israel’s major cities, urging the government to negotiate a hostage release deal. Despite efforts from Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators, a truce and hostage deal have yet to be secured. Critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government are growing increasingly frustrated, accusing him of not doing enough to bring the captives home.