In a historic first, the Arrow air defence system successfully intercepted a surface-to-surface missile launched from the “Red Sea area” towards Israel during the ongoing conflict with Hamas, The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday.
The missile’s origin is suspected to be the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, with its intended target being the southernmost city of Eilat in Israel.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that their air force systems meticulously tracked the missile’s path and engaged it “at the most appropriate operational time and location.”
Residents observed a plume of smoke from the Arrow missile, and the interception resulted in a significant explosion.
The IDF also confirmed that fighter jets intercepted two additional “hostile targets,” believed to be drones, operating in the Red Sea area earlier that morning.
“All the threats were intercepted outside the territory of the State of Israel. No intrusion into Israeli territory was detected,” the IDF added.
Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced that they had launched drones towards Israel, which triggered sirens in Eilat. This incident unfolded in the context of Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Hamas terror group in Gaza.
“These drones belong to the state of Yemen,” said Abdelaziz bin Habtour, prime minister of the Houthi government, when asked about the launch toward Eilat.
He asserted that the Houthi rebels, who seized Yemen’s capital in 2014 and currently control significant parts of the country, align themselves with the “axis of resistance” against Israel. This axis includes Hamas, which also enjoys support from Tehran, and their mode of confrontation involves “words and drones,” The Times of Israel reported.
This event represents the latest in a series of attacks thought to be initiated by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. There are growing concerns that the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, initially sparked by the terror group’s violent actions on October 7, could escalate to other fronts.
In a separate incident, Eilat experienced suspected drone infiltration sirens. The IDF initially reported the identification of an “aerial target” approaching Israeli territory but later confirmed the successful interception of multiple targets.
“There was no threat or risk to civilians,” the military said, according to The Times of Israel.
Eilat is currently providing temporary shelter to tens of thousands of people who were displaced due to the Hamas assault in southern Israel and Hezbollah attacks in the north.
Earlier, an unmanned aerial vehicle reportedly targeted the Egyptian town of Taba on the Red Sea, resulting in six injuries. The IDF stated that this strike originated from the “Red Sea area,” which seemingly points to the involvement of Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Taba is situated on the border with Israel and is approximately 10 kilometres (six miles) from Eilat.
This development follows incidents where Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen attempted to fire missiles at Israel through the Red Sea. The Pentagon revealed that a US Navy warship intercepted three northbound missiles, likely launched by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, and they were possibly aimed at Israel.
Houthi rebels have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause and have issued threats against Israel amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Iranian-backed group’s slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse the Jews, Victory to Islam.”
Iran has consistently warned that Israel may face broader threats unless it ceases its operations against Gazan terrorists, which commenced after Hamas’s violent actions on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,400 Israelis, primarily civilians, The Times of Israel reported.
Source: ANI
