Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Tuesday claimed responsibility for launching a missile aimed at Israel’s main international airport, Ben Gurion, in a move they say was in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
According to Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Iran-backed group, the attack involved a “Palestine 2” hypersonic ballistic missile. In a video statement, Saree declared the strike as part of ongoing operations to support the Palestinian cause in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military confirmed the attempted strike but said the missile was successfully intercepted by the Israeli Air Force. In a brief post on X (formerly Twitter), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated: “A missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.”
The attempted attack is the latest in a series of missile and drone launches by the Houthis since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, 2023. While the majority of these threats have been neutralized before reaching Israeli territory, they have triggered Israeli retaliatory strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
In addition to targeting Israel directly, the Houthi rebels have also disrupted commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, particularly vessels believed to have Israeli links. These maritime attacks have drawn repeated U.S.-led air strikes in an effort to curb the group’s military activities and safeguard international shipping lanes.
The escalation highlights the expanding regional dimensions of the Gaza conflict, with Iran-aligned groups increasingly engaging Israel beyond its immediate borders.
