Israel's Hetz defence system fails to intercept Houthi ballistic missile VIDEO

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched an investigation into the failure of the Hetz missile defence system to intercept a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels on the night of December 21.

The missile, launched from Yemen, reached Israeli territory around 3:45 a.m., Caliber.Az reports per Israeli media.

Despite several attempts to intercept the missile with anti-missile system, none were successful. The missile continued its trajectory into central Israel, falling at high speed in the Jaffa neighborhood.

#بالفيديو | مشاهد متداولة لحظة سقوط الصاروخ اليمني على "تل أبيب".#اليمن #الميادين pic.twitter.com/WKjfxExY2k

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 21, 2024

Video footage shared on social media shows the missile descending rapidly before striking a playground, causing damage and injuring dozens of people.

Following the incident, the IDF confirmed that attempts to intercept the missile had failed. This marks the second such failure in recent days, as the Hetz defence system had also been unable to prevent the warhead of a missile from falling on residential areas on the night of December 19, after the missile was partially intercepted.

The Hetz missile defence system has repeatedly struggled to intercept ballistic missiles, with some cases resulting in missile warheads falling on residential areas after partial interceptions. For example, on the night of December 19, a missile’s warhead landed in residential areas despite an interception attempt.

However, the Hetz system has generally proven highly effective in intercepting enemy ballistic missiles during the Swords of Iron War.

The Houthis use Palestine-2 ballistic missiles—likely of Iranian design—when launching attacks on Israel. These missiles, which the Houthis describe as hypersonic, are capable of traveling from Yemen to Israel in about 15 minutes.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels, part of the Ansar Allah movement, have launched a strike on Israeli military targets in the Tel Aviv area using a hypersonic ballistic missile.

The missile strike was carried out by Yemen’s rocket troops, targeting key Israeli sites.

The missile used in the attack, identified as the Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile, was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to have evaded interception by the country’s air defence systems.

The Houthis have declared that they will continue their missile and drone attacks on Israel until a ceasefire is established in Gaza. The group has been increasing its pressure on Israel in coordination with other Iran-aligned factions, including Hezbollah and Hamas, since the outbreak of hostilities in Gaza.

By Vafa Guliyeva