Houthi rebels in Yemen fired a missile at Israel early Friday, following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s main airport hours earlier. The Israeli military confirmed that the missile was intercepted by its air defense system before it could reach Israeli territory. The missile launch was part of a recent pattern of Houthi missile attacks, which have triggered air raid sirens across Israel in recent days. The Houthis have also been targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea, stating that their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Sanaa airport took place just as World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was preparing to board a flight at the airport. According to the U.N., the strikes killed three people and injured several others, including a WHO staff member, who underwent surgery and was reported to be in stable condition. Israel stated that the airstrikes targeted infrastructure used by the Houthi rebels.
These incidents are part of ongoing tensions in the region, with Israel and the Houthis continuing their military actions. The Houthis’ missile launches have raised concerns in Israel, and Israel’s strikes on Yemen appear to be in retaliation for the repeated missile attacks launched by the Houthis.
