Houthis launch hypersonic missile and drone strikes on Israeli cities

The armed forces affiliated with Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis, launched a coordinated attack on multiple locations in Israel, employing a ballistic missile and three drones.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced the assault on the Al Masirah television channel, which the rebel group controls.

Saria stated that a “Palestine-2” ballistic missile — described by the Houthis as hypersonic — was fired at what he called a “sensitive” target near Beersheba. In addition, he claimed that unmanned aerial vehicles struck sites in Eilat, Ashkelon, and Hadera. According to him, all the strikes successfully hit their intended targets.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that one missile launched from Yemeni territory had been intercepted on the evening of July 25. Air raid sirens were activated in several parts of the country, but authorities reported no casualties or physical damage resulting from the incident.

This attack is part of a broader escalation in Houthi military activity following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement earlier this year. After the 2023 war in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis had pledged to carry out direct strikes on Israel and to obstruct maritime traffic connected to Israel in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Although those threats were put on hold during a temporary ceasefire that took effect in January, hostilities resumed in March. Since then, the Houthis have renewed missile attacks against vessels linked to Israel and have continued attempts to strike targets inside Israeli territory. Ben Gurion Airport has been among the sites repeatedly targeted in these renewed offensives.

By Tamilla Hasanova