JERUSALEM – Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants claimed responsibility for a missile attack Monday on Israel, asserting they successfully struck the Nahal Sorek military base southeast of Jaffa.
The Israeli military confirmed it intercepted the missile over central Israel, preventing it from crossing into Israeli territory.
In a statement following the incident, the Houthis announced that their operation targeted the base in an “accurate hit” that reportedly sparked a fire.
Israeli authorities, however, clarified that the blazes west of Jerusalem, near Beit Shemesh, were caused by debris from the intercepted missile rather than a direct hit.
Firefighters were swiftly deployed to contain the flames and conduct scans in the region to ensure there was no further risk of fires or shrapnel damage.
“Following the sirens that sounded in the Shfelat Yehuda, Yehuda, and Lakhish areas of central Israel, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] intercepted one projectile that approached Israel from the direction of Yemen,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
“The projectile did not cross into Israeli territory. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.”
The Houthis, aligned with Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States, have launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Israel since the onset of the Gaza war in October.
Their latest assault marks a continuation of these hostilities as the conflict expands beyond Israel’s borders.
The Yemeni militant group’s involvement has further underscored Iran’s support for anti-Israel factions across the region, with Tehran providing both logistical and military backing.
The escalation by the Houthis includes attempts to disrupt vital maritime trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where they have harassed shipping vessels in the strategic waterway, complicating global shipping routes.
These recent actions indicate that Yemen’s Houthi group may be using the Gaza conflict as a pretext to broaden its operations against Israel, thus straining security efforts across multiple domains.
Israeli firefighters worked throughout the day to contain the fire near Jerusalem, employing extensive measures to prevent additional flare-ups from debris.
The Jerusalem region fire service confirmed that teams were conducting thorough inspections across Beit Shemesh to eliminate any remaining risks from interceptor or missile shrapnel.
This latest missile strike adds a new layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-aligned factions.
Analysts warn that increased Houthi engagement could intensify Israel’s security challenges, potentially broadening the scope of confrontation to encompass wider geographical and maritime areas.
Israel’s air defense systems have been on heightened alert due to escalating threats from both near and distant sources, with missiles and drones launched from Gaza, Lebanon, and now Yemen.
As regional tensions continue to rise, the broader “axis of resistance” supporting Hamas and Iran remains a pressing concern for Israeli defense officials, who are facing a prolonged conflict on multiple fronts.
In Yemen, the Houthis have expressed steadfast solidarity with Palestinian factions and have vowed to continue their support through “all necessary means.”
With recent attacks underscoring their resolve, it remains uncertain how far this coalition of forces might extend their military operations.
Israel’s interception of the Yemeni missile serves as a reminder of the region’s volatile security landscape, as both Israel and its allies brace for possible further escalations.