Israel Intercepts Houthi Drones in New Attack

On Thursday evening, Israel's air force successfully intercepted three drones launched from Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, marking the latest in a series of missile and drone attacks targeting the country. The Israeli military reported that only one of the three drones reached Israeli territory, but no injuries or damage were reported.

The first drone triggered sirens in the southern town of Gvulot, located about 20 kilometers from Israel's border with Egypt. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the drone was launched "from the east," with initial assessments pointing to Yemen as the origin. Footage on social media showed Israeli Air Force helicopters shooting down the drone, and local residents reported seeing an interceptor missile.

Shortly afterward, a second drone was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) over the Mediterranean Sea, with no sirens or threats to nearby towns. A third drone was intercepted by the IAF over the Mediterranean shortly thereafter.

While the Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, the IDF believes they were behind the strikes, which appear to be the first from Yemen since a brief lull in the region's hostilities. This marks a continuation of the Houthi militia's efforts to strike Israel, which began in earnest following the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.

Since the beginning of the war, the Houthis have launched more than 320 drones and 40 ballistic missiles at Israel. Most of these attacks have been intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defense systems, though there have been occasional successful strikes that caused damage and casualties. In one of the most severe incidents, a Houthi ballistic missile hit a school in Ramat Gan on December 19, 2024.

Despite numerous military retaliations by Israel, including airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, the drone and missile attacks have persisted, with the Houthis also targeting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, further destabilizing the region.