Missile Launch from Yemen Triggers Alarm in Eilat; Israel: Islamic Republic Poses Threat to 'Global Peace'

The Israeli army announced that on Sunday it intercepted and destroyed a ground-to-ground missile approaching the country from Yemen using the 'Arrow 3' air defense system before it entered its territory. The 'Arrow 3' system is used to destroy ballistic missiles while they are outside the Earth's atmosphere. Before the missile was destroyed, alarms sounded in the port city of Eilat, prompting residents to seek shelter. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis claimed to have fired several ballistic missiles towards the port of Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba coast. The attack on Eilat on Sunday followed a deadly drone strike by the Houthis on Tel Aviv on Friday and Israel's retaliatory response on Saturday to this Iranian proxy. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated on Sunday that the country's diplomatic efforts are focused on consulting with countries and international organizations to emphasize the importance of Israel's confrontation with the Houthis in Yemen and to highlight Iran's 'direct responsibility for the Houthi terrorist group's aggression against Israel and international shipping routes.' According to Katz, the Islamic Republic of Iran endangers global peace and must be stopped before it is too late. He also stated on Saturday, following Israel's retaliatory attack on Houthi positions in the port of Hodeidah, that '[the Islamic Republic] Iran is the head of the snake [and] must be stopped right now.' Katz posted on social media that 'Israel dealt a heavy blow today to the Iranian-backed terrorist organization in Yemen.' He noted that the Houthis are part of a 'regional network of terrorist organizations aimed at attacking Israel' and that the Iranian government provides them with military and financial support. The Israeli Foreign Minister added that it is time for the international community to maximize sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Katz reminded that the Houthis, under Iranian guidance, have caused significant damage to freedom of navigation and trade routes and that the Iranian government must be stopped as the 'head of the snake.' He had previously called for 'crippling sanctions' against the Iranian government in response to the deadly Houthi attack on Tel Aviv, which resulted in one civilian death and ten injuries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated after the Israeli Air Force's attack on Houthi positions in Hodeidah on Saturday that this port is used for importing weapons made by the Islamic Republic of Iran. He warned that the attack on this port, located 1,800 kilometers from Israel's border, demonstrates that Israel can strike its enemies anywhere. Netanyahu warned that anyone who harms Israeli citizens will pay a 'heavy price.' The Saturday attack on the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah came a day after the Iranian-backed group's drone attack on Tel Aviv, which killed one Israeli civilian and injured ten others. Following this drone attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that those seeking to harm Israel would be avenged. He had warned that the military is in the process of immediately strengthening all of the country's defense systems and will take revenge on anyone attempting to harm Israel or carry out terrorist operations against it. According to Al Arabiya, 12 Israeli fighter jets, including 'F-35s,' participated in this attack. Houthi television 'Al-Masirah' reported widespread fires at oil facilities as a result of the airstrikes on Saturday. Houthi television claimed that the Israeli attack on the port of 'Hodeidah' left at least 80 injured. Israeli President Isaac Herzog congratulated the commander of the Israeli Air Force on the successful attack on Houthi positions in Yemen during a conversation, thanking all personnel involved for their strong and precise operations and high-level intelligence that led to the success of the mission. Herzog stated, 'This is a clear example of the capabilities of the Israeli Air Force – and a clear message to our enemies.' He emphasized that the Israeli government has shown maximum restraint for a long time but has the full right to defend itself and its citizens and has a fundamental duty to act against anyone threatening its sovereignty. Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of over 250 others, including children, women, and the elderly to Gaza, Israel began an offensive against Gaza aimed at destroying this Iranian-backed group and freeing the abducted hostages. After this attack, other Iranian proxy groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, began attacking Israel and U.S. positions in the region. Over the past months, the Houthis have carried out numerous drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels in the region, and in response, the U.S. and its allies have formed an international coalition targeting the positions of this Iranian-backed group with heavy attacks.