IDF: Ballistic Missile Launched from Yemen Intercepted Outside Israel’s Borders
On November 29, 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen before it could reach Israel. The missile, which triggered air raid sirens across central Israel at approximately 6:30 a.m., was brought down outside Israel’s borders by the IDF’s Arrow defense system. While the interception occurred at a high altitude, shrapnel from the missile fell within Israeli territory.
The Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service reported that four people were lightly injured while rushing to safe rooms in response to the sirens. Additionally, a fifth individual was treated for acute anxiety.
The missile was a surface-to-surface type, and its interception was part of ongoing efforts by the IDF to protect the country from incoming attacks. The Houthi rebels, based in Yemen and aligned with Iran’s “axis of resistance,” have fired over 220 missiles and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, with a deadly attack by Hamas. The Houthis claim their missile and drone strikes are in support of Palestinians, mirroring the actions of Hamas, which is backed by Iran.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi has vowed to continue the attacks on Israel, even after a truce temporarily halted hostilities between the rebels and Saudi Arabia. In a recent broadcast, Al-Houthi emphasized the Houthis’ role in supporting the Palestinian cause. “The operations from the Yemeni front to support the Palestinian people with missiles and drones towards the Israeli enemy are continuing,” he said.
In retaliation for these missile and drone attacks, Israel has targeted Houthi positions in Yemen, including an airstrike that killed a man in Tel Aviv. The Houthis have also launched a campaign of harassment against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, disrupting vital trade routes. Since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, they have targeted over 80 merchant vessels, including some with no apparent connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The rebels claim that these attacks are aimed at vessels associated with Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom, in an effort to pressure these nations to end support for Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the targeted ships have no direct links to the conflict.
