Israeli Defense Forces Intercept Missile and Drone Fired from Yemen

Jerusalem: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Friday that it successfully intercepted a missile and a drone fired by the Houthi group from Yemen. The missile attack occurred at approximately 4:30 AM local time (0230 GMT) and activated air raid sirens across central Israel, including major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, prompting millions of residents to rush to shelters.

According to Israel’s national emergency service, Magen David Adom, at least 12 people were injured while heading to shelters following the missile launch. The IDF confirmed that the missile was intercepted after it entered Israeli territory, with a missile fragment landing near the central Israeli city of Modi’in. The engine of the missile was later found in the Har Gilo settlement in the West Bank, near Jerusalem, causing minor damage.

Flights at Ben Gurion International Airport were briefly halted for approximately half an hour after the missile was launched. Two flights were diverted to Larnaca, Cyprus, due to safety concerns, as reported by Israel’s Channel 12 TV News.

Later on Friday morning, the IDF confirmed it had intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it could enter Israeli airspace. Fortunately, in this case, no sirens were activated, and no injuries were reported.

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This missile interception follows a series of recent events. On December 28, the IDF also intercepted a missile aimed at Jerusalem that triggered air defense sirens and forced hundreds of thousands of residents in the area to seek shelter.

Israel Strikes Yemeni Targets in Retaliation

In response to these missile threats, Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Yemeni targets, including the Sanaa International Airport and power stations, reportedly killing at least six people.

Earlier, on December 27, the Houthi group had claimed responsibility for launching a hypersonic ballistic missile targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea asserted that the missile successfully hit its target, resulting in casualties and disrupting air traffic at the airport. However, the Israeli government has not confirmed the success of the missile strike, citing its interception efforts.