Israel shoots down ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis

Air raid sirens were triggered across central Israel on Friday, May 9, 2025, after Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile targeting Israeli territory.

The Houthis claimed the attack was in retaliation for Israeli actions in Gaza and expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In response, Israel’s military announced on Friday that its air defense systems had successfully intercepted the missile.

No injuries or damage were reported following the interception, according to an official military statement.

The incident occurred shortly after Oman announced it had mediated a ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Houthis.

Despite this development, the Houthi group clarified that the ceasefire did not involve Israel and that their hostilities toward the country would persist.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the rebels had launched a “hypersonic ballistic missile” aimed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

Additionally, the Houthis claimed to have carried out a drone strike targeting what they described as a “vital Israeli enemy target” in the same vicinity.

Following the missile launch, Israeli media reported that air raid sirens were heard in multiple areas across central Israel.

Residents also received emergency mobile alerts warning them of the incoming missile, prompting widespread panic and a rush toward bomb shelters and secure rooms.

The dramatic event sent thousands of Israelis scrambling for safety.

Reacting to the attack, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning, vowing a powerful response against the Houthis.

He stated that Israel would retaliate “in Yemen and wherever necessary.”

He also referred to the missiles used in the attack as “Iranian,” pointing to Iran’s alleged backing of the Houthi movement.

Katz’s remarks are consistent with previous statements he has made following earlier Houthi missile launches aimed at Israel.

According to Al Jazeera correspondent Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, while such retaliatory language from Israeli officials is not new, this situation differs in a critical way.

She explained that earlier in the week, one of the Houthi missiles had actually struck a strategically significant area, the main airport in central Israel.

She highlighted an escalation in the accuracy and potential threat of the attacks.

According to Salhut, the recent missile sent “thousands of people running towards shelters and safe rooms,” illustrating the deep sense of fear and urgency among civilians.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier declared on Tuesday that the United States would cease its airstrikes on Yemen.

This followed the Houthis’ agreement to halt attacks on American naval vessels in the Red Sea.

Nevertheless, the Houthis have maintained their campaign against Israel.

It has continued to launch both missiles and drones despite the ceasefire arrangement with the U.S.

The Houthi rebels justify their actions as acts of solidarity with Palestinians.

They have also repeatedly stated that their attacks are a direct response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

They have also targeted several ships in the Red Sea that they claim are linked to Israel or its allies.

The Israeli military, for its part, claims it has intercepted most of these aerial threats without significant casualties or infrastructure damage.

Israeli media reports that since March 18, when Israel escalated its military operations in Gaza, the Houthis have launched 28 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones toward Israeli targets.

These ongoing attacks reflect the group’s growing involvement in the broader regional conflict, extending beyond Yemen and deepening tensions in the Middle East.

The latest Houthi missile strike comes amid Israel’s continued military campaign in Gaza, which began in October 2023.

This campaign followed a deadly incursion by Hamas into southern Israel.

Since then, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to various reports.

The scale and intensity of the conflict have drawn widespread international criticism.

It has also intensified regional instability, with the Houthis framing their missile strikes as part of a broader resistance effort in support of Palestine.