Missile fired from Yemen explodes in south Tel Aviv Park, injuring 16

A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels exploded in a public park in south Tel Aviv December 20 overnight, causing light injuries to 16 people, including a three-year-old girl.

The explosion, which occurred after interception attempts failed, left a crater in the park, and shattered glass injured several individuals, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media.

Additionally, 14 people sustained bruises while rushing to shelters in response to the sirens that sounded throughout central Israel at 3:44 a.m.

The missile launch marked the second Houthi attack in as many days, with sirens triggering a mass scramble to safety in the middle of the night. The Israeli military confirmed that a missile originating from Yemen had struck Tel Aviv and that interception efforts had been unsuccessful. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Earlier in the week, a drone was intercepted off the Tel Aviv coast on December 19, and a missile triggered nationwide sirens. This missile attack occurred just two days after the previous one, following a major Israeli Air Force strike on Houthi targets in Yemen.

A Houthi missile was partially intercepted outside Israeli airspace by Israel’s air defense systems. While the warhead did not explode in mid-air, it crashed into an empty school building in Ramat Gan, causing extensive damage but no casualties.

Following the attack, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a major airstrike targeting Houthi sites in Yemen. The operation had been planned for weeks, with Israeli fighter jets already in the air when the missile was launched. Over 60 munitions were dropped on Houthi military targets, including fuel depots, power stations, and tugboats used at the Houthi-controlled ports along Yemen’s western coast, including the capital Sana'a.

Israeli military sources stated that the objective was to incapacitate the three key ports used by the Iran-backed Houthis, with the destruction of tugboats and power stations marking significant damage to the group's operations. The IDF believes that these strikes have effectively paralyzed all activity at the Houthi-controlled ports.

The Houthis have regularly launched missiles and drones towards Israel, with most intercepted by Israeli defenses or its regional allies. However, some attacks have successfully reached their target, causing death and destruction. The latest attacks are part of a broader campaign that has seen the Houthis launch more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel over the past year. Additionally, the group has targeted over 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, severely disrupting global shipping routes.

Following December 19 strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the Houthis, along with other Iranian proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime in Syria, continue to pose a threat to Israel. He warned that the Houthis would face a severe price for their attacks, stating, "Anyone who attacks Israel pays a very heavy price."

Meanwhile, 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. This marks a significant breach in Israel's defence capabilities, as the missile was not intercepted in time.

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