Israel Reports Interception of Missile Launched from Yemen

Following Israel's airstrikes on Saturday against the port of Hudaydah in Yemen, which is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthis, the Houthis announced on Sunday that they targeted Israel with several ballistic missiles. The Israeli army reported that it intercepted a missile coming from Yemen, triggering sirens in the port city of Eilat, in southern Israel. In a statement early on Sunday, July 31, the Israeli army said: "The Israeli air defense system successfully intercepted a ground-to-ground missile approaching Israeli territory from Yemen using the 'Arrow 3' defense system." The statement added that the missile did not enter Israeli territory, but sirens were activated in Eilat and surrounding areas due to the possibility of missile debris falling. The attack on Hudaydah in western Yemen followed a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday. Iranian-aligned militants stated that their attack on Friday was in retaliation for Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip. Yahya Saree, a spokesman for the Houthi military branch, said on Sunday that the group fired ballistic missiles at "important targets" in Eilat, southern Israel. He stated in a televised announcement without providing details that this operation successfully achieved its objectives. Yahya Saree vowed that a "massive and significant" response would be shown to Israel's attack on the Houthis, which he claimed targeted civilian facilities around the port of Hudaydah in the Red Sea. "Six killed" in the Israeli attack on Yemen; Netanyahu: We targeted the entry point for Iranian weapons. On Saturday, Arab sources reported airstrikes on the port of Hudaydah in western Yemen, under the control of the Houthi group, and the Israeli army claimed responsibility for this attack. The Israeli army announced on Saturday, July 30, that its air force had attacked military targets used by the "terrorist regime of the Houthis" in the Hudaydah area in Yemen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the port targeted by Israeli fighters was the entry point for "Iranian weapons" for the Houthis in Yemen. He added that this attack reminds Israel's enemies that there is no point that is out of reach for Israel. The port of Hudaydah is approximately 1800 kilometers from Israel's border. The Israeli army's statement indicated that this attack was in response to "hundreds of incursions" into Israel over the past months. The office of the Israeli Defense Minister also announced that the airstrike against the Houthis was confirmed by Yoav Gallant on Saturday morning. Mr. Gallant stated regarding this attack: "The first time the Houthis harmed Israeli citizens, we attacked them. We will do the same wherever necessary." According to Mr. Gallant, the fire currently raging in Hudaydah is seen throughout the Middle East, and its significance is entirely clear. Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, also posted on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Iran of "supporting, training, and financing" the Houthis, writing: "It is time for the international community to increase sanctions against Iran." He added: "Iran is the head of the snake; it must be stopped now." On the other hand, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political office, threatened in a social media post that Israel would "pay the price for attacking civilian facilities and we will face increased tensions." The Houthi-controlled health ministry later announced that at least 80 people were injured as a result of the Israeli airstrike. The ministry's statement indicated that most of the injured suffered from "severe burns" due to the fire resulting from the attack. The Houthis announced on Sunday that six people had died in this attack and 83 others were injured. Earlier, the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV claimed on Saturday, citing group officials, that Israel orchestrated these attacks. Videos circulated on social media show severe fires and smoke rising from a targeted location. Meanwhile, Al-Arabiya, a Saudi media outlet, reported from anonymous sources that a joint operation by Israel with the United States and Britain attacked the port of Hudaydah in Yemen. The report claimed that "12 Israeli aircraft, including F-35 fighter jets," participated in this attack. Hours later, a spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that Saudi Arabia had not intervened or participated in the attack on Hudaydah, saying: "Saudi Arabia will not allow any party to penetrate its airspace." A White House spokesman, in an interview with the Times of Israel, acknowledged Israel's right to defend itself, stating that the U.S. had "no role" in today's attack on Yemen. Additionally, Daniel Hagari, an Israeli army spokesman, announced in a press conference that Israel "conducted the attacks on Saturday against the port of Hudaydah in Yemen alone." He stated that the name of this operation was "Long Arm." Herzi Halevi, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, also told soldiers in Rafah that Iran has "arms." He added: "You are fighting one of these arms here, and we are fighting elsewhere with other arms." Al-Masirah TV reported that these attacks targeted oil and diesel storage facilities in the port of Hudaydah and an electricity company, leaving several dead and injured. The report did not mention the number of casualties but stated that several people suffered burns and a nationwide power outage occurred. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, condemned the Israeli attacks on the port of Hudaydah and warned of the "danger of escalating tensions and spreading the flames of war in the region due to Israel's dangerous adventures." Mr. Kanaani also held the Israeli government and its supporters, including the U.S. government, "directly responsible for the dangerous and unpredictable consequences" of the ongoing war in Gaza and also for the "adventurous attacks on Yemen." A drone attack by the Houthis on Tel Aviv left one dead. On Friday morning, a drone attack on central Tel Aviv resulted in one death and at least 10 injuries. The Houthis claimed responsibility for this attack. Israeli media reported, citing army officials, that there was no information regarding the possibility of a drone attack on Israel and that the fact that the drone was identified in the skies over Tel Aviv but was not shot down was due to "human error." In recent months, the Houthis, alongside the war between Israel and the extremist group Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, have carried out several attacks on the ports of Ashdod, Eilat, and Haifa in Israel, most of which have been unsuccessful.