Israel says missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis downed after sirens spark panic

The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen targeting Israel early on Thursday, in the latest attack bearing the hallmarks of Yemen’s Houthi militants.

The missile triggered sirens in several areas of central Israel, the military said in a statement.

Undeterred by Israeli strikes on Yemen, the Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they describe as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships. The group has not claimed responsibility for Thursday’s launch.

Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa, and another last week targeting the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, most of which have been intercepted or have fallen short.