2024-09-15 12:42:09
Tel Aviv: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi extremists attacked Israel with a missile on Sunday morning. The missile thwarted Israeli air defense and fell in an open area in central Israel. After this, air raid sirens started ringing at the international airport. This is the first time a missile has reached so deep inside Israel. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack. A statement issued by the group’s military spokesperson said that the attack was aimed at Tel Aviv and it used a new hypersonic ballistic missile.
No major damage has been reported in the attack. However, Israeli media released footage of Ben Gurion International Airport, in which people were seen running towards shelters. Airport officials said that normal operations resumed soon after. Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed that Israel failed to intercept the missile. At the same time, Israeli media outlet Jerusalem Post reported that the IDF’s Arrow Defense System failed to stop the missile from entering the Israeli border but it eventually shot it down.
The missile arrived in 11 and a half minutes
The military spokesman of the Houthi group said that ‘the missile covered a distance of 2040 kilometers in 11 and a half minutes and it created a state of panic among the Jewish people. More than 20 lakh Jews fled to take refuge for the first time in history.’ The spokesman has warned of more attacks on Israel before the anniversary of the October 7 attack.
Israel will respond
Israel has indicated that it will respond to this attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting that the Houthis should have known that ‘we have to pay a heavy price for any attempt to harm us. Anyone who needs to be reminded of this needs to come and see the Hudaydah port.’ Israel had launched an airstrike on the Hudaydah port in response to an attack some time ago.