Yemen fired a ballistic missile at Israel on Tuesday, setting off air raid sirens across southern Israel, including Beersheba and parts of the Negev Desert. The Israeli military confirmed that the missile was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) before it could enter Israeli territory.
"A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli airspace," the Israeli military said in an official statement.
First attack from Yemen since ceasefire
This marks the first reported attack from Yemen since the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war took effect on January 19.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have previously targeted Israel, condemned the latest Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which resulted in over 400 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Houthis have vowed to escalate their attacks in support of Palestinians, including threatening to strike Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea earlier this month.
Growing regional hostilities
The Houthis, aligned with Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” against the US and Israel, have conducted multiple drone and missile strikes on Israeli targets and commercial ships during the Gaza conflict. Their latest attack underscored the rising tensions in the region as Israel continues its military operations in Gaza.
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