Live updates: Houthis enter Iran war with missile strike against Israel

[Houthis attack Israel: Yemen group fires missile at Tel Aviv airport]

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

Yemen’s Houthi movement launched a missile at Israel on Sunday, hitting near Ben Gurion airport and wounding 2 people, the Israeli military said.

The attack marked the first time the Iran-backed group has struck Israel since the Gaza war began, Israeli officials confirmed.

The Houthis said they targeted Israel in retaliation for its military operations in Gaza. Israeli sources said the missile was fired from Yemen and traveled 1,600 km before impact.

Tel Aviv police spokesman Eli Levi told reporters the missile landed in an open area south of the airport at 8:32 a.m. local time. Israel’s ambulance service said 2 civilians suffered minor injuries while running to shelters.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said air defenses tracked the missile throughout its flight. “We detected the launch from Yemen and tracked it until impact,” Hagari told reporters.

Defense officials said the missile was intercepted but debris fell near residential areas. Police closed roads around the impact site as bomb disposal teams searched for fragments.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet within hours of the attack, his office announced. Ministers reviewed response options including strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, 2 cabinet members told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The Israeli military said it held Iran responsible for enabling the strike. “Iran funds, arms and directs the Houthis. They are Iranian proxies,” military spokesman Richard Hecht said.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility in a televised statement. “Our armed forces targeted the enemy with a large batch of missiles,” Saree said, adding more attacks would follow.

The group said it fired 10 missiles at Israel. Israeli officials confirmed only 1 impact but said others might have fallen short or been intercepted.

The United States condemned the attack and pledged support for Israel’s defense. “We stand with Israel against these Iranian-backed attacks,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

White House officials said President Joe Biden was briefed aboard Air Force One. Biden spoke with Netanyahu to discuss coordination, the White House announced.

The attack disrupted flights at Ben Gurion airport for 90 minutes, airport spokesman Ofer Lefler said. 15 incoming flights were diverted to Cyprus before operations resumed.

Commercial airlines including Lufthansa and British Airways canceled Sunday flights to Tel Aviv. The carriers cited security concerns, aviation officials said.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid demanded action against the Houthis. “Israel cannot allow Iranian proxies to fire missiles at our cities,” Lapid told Army Radio.

The attack came as Israel continued its military offensive in Gaza. Health officials in the Hamas-run territory said the death toll exceeded 11,000 people.

Regional tensions have escalated since Gaza fighting began 5 weeks ago. Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East have threatened Israel, security analysts said.

Background

The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a civil war. A Saudi-led coalition has fought the group since 2015 with U.S. support.

Iran has supplied the Houthis with missiles and drones, according to U.N. reports. The weapons have targeted Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during Yemen’s conflict.

Israel and the Houthis have exchanged threats for years but never fought directly. The group fired missiles at Israel in 2021 but they fell short in Saudi territory.

The Houthis rebranded themselves in 2022 as part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the West. Their leaders have held meetings with Iranian military commanders in Tehran.

Yemen’s war has killed more than 150,000 people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to U.N. estimates. Peace efforts have stalled despite Saudi-Iranian diplomatic talks this year.

What’s Next

Israeli officials said they expected more Houthi attacks and were preparing responses involving “all options on the table,” according to a military statement. Netanyahu’s office said decisions on retaliation would come soon.