Houthi missile strikes central Israel, Netanyahu warns “heavy price”
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The news: A Houthi missile struck central Israel for the first time on Sunday, as the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the group would pay “a heavy price”.
The numbers: The Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they used a hypersonic missile that travelled 2,040 km in 11 1/2 minutes, Reuters reported.
The context: Air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv and central Israel, sending residents scrambling for shelter. No injuries were reported.
The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have targeted Israel since the Gaza war began, framing their actions as solidarity with Palestinians.
Israel’s military said the missile likely fragmented mid-air, with debris landing near Tel Aviv.
On the same day, the Israeli military said 40 projectiles were fired from Lebanon, which were intercepted or fell in open areas.
What they said: In a statement released on Sunday, Netanyahu said: “This morning, the Houthis launched a surface-to-surface missile from Yemen into our territory. They should have known by now that we charge a heavy price for any attempt to harm us.”
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said Israel should expect more strikes in the future "as we approach the first anniversary of the 7 October operation, including responding to its aggression on the city of Hodeidah," Sarea said, referring to Israeli airstrikes in July. The Yemen Read Sea city was bombed, killing six people, after the Houthis claimed a drone strike that killed a man in Tel Aviv.
The sources: Reuters, The Guardian
