Yemen's Houthi group launches attacks on Israel, US naval vessels

Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility for a series of military operations on March 23 targeting Israel's Ben Gurion Airport and several US naval vessels, including the USS Harry Truman, in the Red Sea.

In a televised statement aired on the group's Al-Masirah channel, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the group’s missile forces fired a “Palestine II” hypersonic ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Sarea claimed the operation successfully disrupted airport operations, leading to a suspension of air traffic for more than 30 minutes.

"The operation successfully achieved its goal, leading to the suspension of air traffic at the airport for more than half an hour," Sarea said.

However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the ballistic missile fired by the Houthis was intercepted successfully by Israel’s air defence systems. The IDF confirmed that there were no casualties or damages resulting from the missile, which triggered sirens across central Israel. The missile was shot down before it could cross the country’s borders, the IDF added.

In addition to the strike on Israel, Sarea stated that the Houthi forces had also engaged US naval assets in the Red Sea, including the USS Harry Truman and other American warships. According to the spokesman, the Houthis fired a combination of missiles and drones at the vessels, with the clashes reportedly lasting several hours.

The Houthi spokesman said the military actions were taken "in response to the American aggression, which has launched dozens of raids on Yemen in the past hours." This announcement follows recent US military operations targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.

US fighter jets carried out multiple strikes in the past 24 hours, focusing on Hodeidah Airport, where at least six raids were reported, and the port of Salif in the Hodeidah region. Additional strikes targeted the Houthi stronghold in Saada province and the Majzar district in the oil-rich Marib province, east of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

These military exchanges are part of an ongoing air campaign launched by the United States in mid-March against Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen. The Houthi group has vowed to continue targeting Israeli sites in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and as retaliation for what they refer to as "American aggression."

"Our forces continue to confront this criminal aggression and bravely meet escalation with escalation," Sarea stated.

By Vafa Guliyeva