Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Air raid sirens sounded in the Jerusalem area Thursday evening following a missile launch from Yemen, marking the second such attack in less than a day. The IDF said the Air Force intercepted the missile before it crossed into Israeli territory.
The missile attack briefly disrupted flights at Ben Gurion Airport, with departures and landings temporarily halted. Several flights were forced to circle before receiving clearance to land, including an El Al flight from Warsaw and a Sun d'Or flight from Batumi. Normal operations resumed shortly after.
The attack came amid Yemeni reports of U.S. strikes on targets in the western port city of Hodeidah. Houthi-affiliated network Al-Masirah reported at least four strikes across the city.
Earlier Thursday, a pre-dawn missile attack from Yemen targeted multiple Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Rishon LeZion, before being intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.
Meanwhile, rockets were launched from Gaza for the first time in months, triggering alarms across central Israel on Thursday afternoon, just hours after the IDF announced the resumption of ground operations in northern Gaza.
<< Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv >>
Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it fired a barrage of mid-range M90 rockets “in response to the Zionist massacres of civilians.” The last time rockets from Gaza set off alarms in central Israel was October 7, 2024, the anniversary of Hamas’s deadly attack.
In Rishon LeZion, shrapnel fell in four locations, though no casualties or property damage were reported. One rocket was intercepted, while two others landed in open areas. Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, Holon, Ramat Gan and Or Yehuda.
The rocket fire came after Israeli forces launched new ground operations in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, and targeted approximately 40 underground Hamas facilities, terror operatives and military sites.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for previous missile and drone attacks on Israel, framing them as retaliation for the war in Gaza.
The U.S. has been conducting military operations against the Houthis in response to their attacks on regional shipping and Israeli targets.