Israeli military says ‘likely’ intercepted missile launched from Yemen

TEL AVIV: Israel’s military said Wednesday that a missile was “launched from Yemen”, where the Iran-backed Huthi rebels have regularly targeted Israel.

Shortly after 4:00 am local time, the Israeli army announced that the missile triggered air raid sirens in Haifa and other communities in northern Israel.

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“An interceptor was launched toward the missile, and the missile was most likely successfully intercepted,” it said on Telegram.

Since the invasion of Gaza broke out in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.

The Houthis rebel group controls swaths of Yemen, and Israel has struck Houthis targets several times inside the country including in the capital Sanaa.

The rebels have also targeted ships they accuse of having ties to Israel as the freighters travel on the Red Sea — a vital waterway for global trade.

The US military has been carrying out almost daily attacks for the past month, saying it was targeting the Huthi “terrorists” to stop attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.