Image Source: AFP 

Yemen-based armed militia, the Houthi rebels, claimed responsibility for the recent missile attack on the central Israeli city of Tel Aviv. The missile was intercepted by Israel’s anti-missile defenses, causing it to fragment and land in an uninhabited area of the city which avoided any casualties according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

This marks the first time that a missile launched by the Yemeni rebels has reached so far into Israeli territory, over 2,000 KM away from Yemen. Several Houthi missiles and drones have been fired towards Israel in the past, but almost all of them had been intercepted and none were believed to have been able to reach Tel Aviv.

Air-raid sirens blared at around 6:30 AM in nearby areas of Tel Aviv when the missile entered the Israeli airspace. Initial investigations by the IDF revealed that the missile was intercepted which caused it to fragment, but did not destroy it. Fragments from the air-defense missiles launched in response to the Houthi missile reportedly landed at a rail station and in open areas, resulting in a fire next to Kfar Daniel, about 10 miles from Ben Gurion Airport. No fatalities have been reported.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced retaliation against the missile attack during a cabinet meeting saying that any attempts to harm the nation exacts a “heavy price”. Houthis, who receive political support from Iran, have been launching attacks against Israeli regions in showing solidarity with Palestinians and Gaza. Netanyahu declared Israel to be in “a multi-front campaign against Iran’s axis of evil, which is striving for our destruction.”

According to reports, the Houthis released a statement on Telegram following the Sunday attacks warning Israel to expect follow-up attacks in the lead-up to the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. They claimed to have used a new hypersonic missile, which likely outsmarted IDF’s anti-air defenses.

The missile attack serves as a thunderous reminder that Israel is currently locked in a three-way conflict between Hamas and the allegedly Iran-backed Houthi rebels since the attacks of October 7, 2023.

US and UK missile attacks in Yemen 

The Houthi rebels had launched an offensive campaign against the commercial ships in the Red Sea as a stand against Israel, which included missile strikes and drone assaults. This campaign resulted in severe disruptions to international trade and prompted a strong response from Israel, the US, and the UK, which launched missile strikes and military operations in Yemeni regions.

The Houthis claimed to have been primarily targeting Israel-linked ships, however, several ships were found to have no connection to Israel. In March, Houthis attacked the Barbados flagged cargo ship, True Confidence, killing 3 internationals. The US later formed a multilateral coalition to protect the commercial traffic from attacks. The force now has more than 20 countries, according to the Pentagon.

Houthis

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah (God’s supporters) are an armed militant group that originates in Yemen. They are primarily composed of Zaydi Shiites, a sect of Shia Islam that is abundant in northern Yemen. The Houthi movement was founded by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi and is currently under the leadership of his brother Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

The Houthis control most parts of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, and some of the western and northern areas close to Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis engaged in several armed conflicts with the Yemeni government from 2004 to 2010, which it claimed to have ruled with autocracy by the then President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The conflicts were known as the Saada Wars. The 2011 Arab Spring protests led to President Saleh’s resignation and handed power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. However, the Houthis continued to fight for greater autonomy and influence.

The militant group gained prominence in 2014, when the Houthis seized the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, leading to the collapse of the Yemeni government. This prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015, aiming to restore the internationally recognized government. This plunged the country into a decade-long civil war termed by analysts as the “worst humanitarian crisis in the world”, with millions facing famine and disease. The conflict is often seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government, and Iran, which is accused of backing the Houthis.

As per UN reports, the Israel-Hamas conflict has resulted in nearly 41,000 deaths and nearly 2 million people displaced.