IDF intercepts Houthi missile over central Israel, triggering sirens across the country

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired another ballistic missile at Israel early on Tuesday morning, triggering air raid sirens in central and southern communities. 

Sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Ashdod, Ramat Gan, Lod, Ramla, Herzliya, Rehovot, and a number of southern communities including Arad, Kfar HaNokdim, and Har Amasa. 

The missile was intercepted using the Arrow anti-ballistic missile defense system, which is designed to intercept missiles outside the atmosphere. 

Israel Defense Forces said the missile was intercepted before entering Israeli territory, however, sirens were activated to alert civilians of possible falling shrapnel from the interception. 

There were no reports of injuries from falling shrapnel, however, Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services reported that a woman in her 60s was taken to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained after falling while fleeing to a nearby safety shelter. 

MDA said that at least 25 people were treated for minor injuries from falling while seeking shelter or due to anxiety attacks. 

Shortly after the interception of the missile by the IDF, senior Houthi official Hezam al-Asad posted a statement on 𝕏.

“We will not stop, until the aggression against our people in Gaza stops. Netanyahu will know that the dreams of the new Middle East are nothing but a punishment for him and his imported entity.” 

Later on Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Arrow battery that intercepted the missile fired from Yemen.

"Today's threat in the sky is the 'first missile war' – we will not accept the fact that the Houthis continue to fire on the State of Israel," Katz said. "We will deal with the leaders of the Houthis in Sana'a and everywhere in Yemen."

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched several attacks on Israel over the past week. 

On Monday evening, the IDF intercepted a drone launched from Yemen.

On Saturday, 16 people were injured following a ballistic missile attack in Tel Aviv which evaded attempts at interception. Not long after that attack, the IDF intercepted a Houthi drone over southern Israel. 

Last Monday, Israel intercepted another Houthi ballistic missile with the Arrow defense system. The increase in Houthi attacks in the last month led Israel to strike targets in Houthi territory last Thursday, including its first strike on the capital city of Sana’a. 

While the Israeli Air Force (IAF) was on its way to strike the targets, another ballistic missile was intercepted by Israeli air defense systems. That interception resulted in the collapse of a school building in Ramat Gan, outside of Tel Aviv, when the missile warhead fell on top of the building. 

At that time, Katz issued a warning to the Houthi leaders against escalating the conflict. 

Opposition Knesset Member Benny Gantz, a former minister in the War Cabinet, called for Israel to strike the Iranian regime in retaliation for the Houthi attacks, as the rebel group is supplied and funded by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Today, we have the opportunity to catalyze a ‘strategic flip’ against Iran and its proxies. We must capitalize on the opportunity. It would be a strategic mistake of historic proportion not to,” Gantz said on Monday evening in comments to the press.

He said that Israel "must target Iran directly," and that “the solution to putting an end to the attacks lies in Tehran.”