Since the Gaza war began over a year ago, Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched several missile attacks on Israel. Majority of the attacks have been intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
The Israeli military on Saturday claimed that it failed to intercept a missile launched from Yemen that fell in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area. According to Israel's ambulance service, as reported by news agency Reuters, 14 people were injured. But news channel Al Jazeera has put the number at 16, quoting authorities concerned.
However, the injuries, majorly caused by sharpnels, were described as mild. Some victims were taken to the hospital for further treatment.
"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in central Israel, one projectile launched from Yemen was identified and unsuccessful interception attempts were made," the Israeli military stated on its Telegram channel, as per reports.
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Since the Gaza war began over a year ago, Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched several missile attacks on Israel. Majority of the attacks have been intercepted by Israeli defense systems. In retaliation, Israel has struck multiple targets in Yemen, including ports and energy facilities under Houthi control.
A statement from Israeli police confirmed the missile landing. "A short time ago, reports were received of a weapon falling in one of the settlements within the Tel Aviv district," Al Jazeera reported, citing the statement.
The Houthi group, which is supported by Iran, has regularly fired missiles and drones at Israel. It frames these actions as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Just days earlier, Israel launched airstrikes on ports and energy infrastructure in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and warned of further military action against the group.
According to Al Jazeera, Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service later updated the number of injuries from the missile strike and reported that at least 16 people were lightly injured, mostly due to broken glass caused by the blast.
The successful missile strike on Tel Aviv has led a Houthi official to argue that Israel's military defense systems are not as invulnerable as previously thought. Hezam al-Asad, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, suggested that the failure of Israel's defense systems demonstrated the limits of the country's billion-dollar aerial defense capabilities.
In posts on both Arabic and Hebrew social media, al-Asad said, "The failure of all Israeli defence systems means that the heart of the Zionist enemy is no longer secure."
He further taunted Israel by claiming that the interception systems, which cost billions of dollars, were ineffective and caused additional damage. "There is no longer any use for interception systems that cost billions of dollars," he added.
The missile strike came amidst rising tensions between Israel and the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. As reported by Reuters, Israel has warned of more attacks following its recent strikes against Yemeni ports and infrastructure.
The ongoing exchange between Israel and the Houthis highlights the broader regional conflict that has been exacerbated by the war in Gaza and the support of various groups for their respective allies.