Missile launched by Yemen’s Houthis intercepted, says Israel

Yemen’s Houthi group said on July 10th that they had launched an attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv with a missile, which the Israeli military said was intercepted, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters.

The majority of the missiles and drones launched by the Houthis have either been intercepted or failed to reach their targets. In response, Israel has conducted a number of retaliatory attacks.

Aligned with Iran, the Houthi group has been targeting Israel and disrupting maritime traffic. Since November 2023, when the Houthis began attacking ships for what they described as solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war, traffic through the Red Sea, a vital route for global oil and commodity shipments, has significantly declined.

Maghrebi reported on July 7th, that the Houthis claimed responsibility for a July 6th attack on the Greek-owned, bulk carrier called the Magic Seas in the Red Sea. According to Middle East Eye via Reuters on July 7th, the attack left the vessel severely damaged and at risk of sinking after a four-hour attack involving gunfire, grenades, sea drones, and missiles.

Previously, the Houthis announced plans to enforce a “comprehensive” aerial blockade on Israel by routinely targeting its airports. This is alongside the “maritime blockade” on Israel’s Haifa port, in which Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree, declared that all ships present in or heading to Haifa would now be potential targets, as reported by Maghrebi via The Arab Weekly plus agencies on May 20th.

Asharq Al-Awsat, Reuters, Maghrebi.org, Middle East Eye, The Arab Weekly plus agencies