Houthis fire missiles 'at Tel Aviv' as tensions rise | World | News

An Iran-backed militant group launched a surface-to-surface missile attack on Israel on Sunday, raising fears of renewed clashes in the war-torn region.

The long-range missile was fired by Houthi rebels from Yemen on the morning of September 15, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Sirens blared across Israel and footage showed people running to shelters at Ben Gurion International Airport.

A fire was seen in a rural area in central Israel, not far from Tel Aviv, and local media showed images of what appeared to be a fragment of a missile or interceptor landing on an escalator at a train station in the central Israeli city of Modi'in.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement: “This morning (Sunday) at 06:21 a.m., a surface-to-surface missile was fired from Yemen into Israeli territory. An initial investigation indicates that the missile most likely fragmented in the air.”

“During the incident, several intercept attempts were made by the Arrow and Iron Dome air defense systems, the results of which are currently being reviewed. Sirens sounded as per protocol. The entire incident is currently being reviewed.

“Fallen fragments of the interceptor missiles were found in an open field and at Paatei Modi'in station. A fire broke out in an area next to Kfar Daniel. The Israel Fire Service and Rescue Services are currently working on the scene to extinguish the fire.”

Kfar Daniel is a 40-minute drive from Tel Aviv, one of Israel's most important cities.

The Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile attacks on Israel over the past year, ostensibly in support of Hamas, which Israel has been fighting in the Gaza Strip since the militant group killed more than 1,200 people in a devastating attack on the south of the country on October 7.

Most of these attacks have been intercepted and destroyed over the Red Sea, where the Houthis also attack ships. However, this latest attack has raised fears of an Israeli response and escalation.

In July, a Houthi drone attacked Tel Aviv, killing one person.

In response to this incident, Israel launched an airstrike on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, causing severe damage and killing three people.

A Houthi spokesman claimed that in this morning's attack, the militants' rockets covered a distance of 2,040 km (1,267 miles) in 11.5 minutes.

The militants also claimed that the “new hypersonic missile” had caused “great panic” in Israel and that the “British-American alliance” – which has carried out a series of attacks on Houthi positions in recent months – would not stop them from “supporting Gaza”.

The spokesman also warned Israel to prepare for further attacks ahead of the first anniversary of the Gaza war on October 7.

In addition to the Houthis and Hamas, Iran – which launched its first direct attack on Israel earlier this year in response to the killing of Iranians in Syria – also supports Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militia that regularly launches attacks on Israel from the north.

The Israeli military said that around 40 missiles were fired from Lebanon early Sunday. Most were intercepted or landed in open areas.