Israel says intercepted missile from Yemen, Huthis claim attack

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said Sunday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where the Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed launching two missiles at Israel's main airport."A missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted", the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that air raid sirens had sounded in several areas of the country.The Huthis later said they had fired "two ballistic missiles" towards Israel's Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv.The Iran-backed rebels have regularly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by the Huthis' Palestinian ally Hamas.Earlier this month, a Huthi missile struck the area of the Tel Aviv airport, gouging a hole near its main terminal building and wounding several people in a rare penetration of Israeli air defences.On Friday, Israel bombed the Huthi-held Red Sea ports of Hodeida and Salif following three missile attacks in as many days. It threatened to target the Huthi leadership if the attacks continued.In response to the strike that landed near Ben Gurion, Israel has struck the airport in Yemen's rebel-controlled capital Sanaa and three nearby power stations.

On Sunday, Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group would continue targeting Israel until the "siege is lifted" on Gaza.The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have also targeted Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians.Their attacks on the vital shipping route drew retaliatory strikes by the United States, which in early May sealed a ceasefire with the rebel group that did not include Israel.