Yemeni Houthis claim success in military attack on Israeli facility near Tel Aviv

Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah movement launched a missile attack on a military facility near Tel Aviv, according to a statement from their spokesman, Yahya Saree. 

The attack, which occurred on December 25 night, saw the use of a Palestine-2 type hypersonic ballistic missile, targeting a military site in the Jaffa neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, an area currently under Israeli control, Caliber.Az reports referencing the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV channel.

The missile strike was described as successful, with the Houthi forces claiming they achieved their intended objectives.

The Israeli military responded by stating that the missile was intercepted before it entered Israeli airspace. However, about 20 residents of Tel Aviv were injured during the ensuing air alert, as people rushed to shelter. These injuries were a result of the panic and haste of the city's residents rather than direct missile impact.

The Houthis have previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks, including one on December 21, when they reportedly struck another military facility near Tel Aviv with a hypersonic missile. In that attack, the Palestine-2 missile allegedly hit its target with precision, and the Israeli air defence systems were unable to intercept it. Houthi officials have vowed to continue their missile strikes on Israeli targets, asserting that their actions will persist until the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip is lifted.

In response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the Ansar Allah movement had previously warned of further missile attacks against Israel and threatened to prevent Israeli-affiliated ships from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which are vital maritime routes. Since November, the Houthis have also targeted multiple civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In reaction to the escalation, US authorities formed an international coalition and launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a mission aimed at securing freedom of navigation and ensuring the safety of ships in the Red Sea. This led to a series of strikes by US and British military forces against Houthi military facilities in various regions of Yemen. The situation remains tense, with international powers actively engaged in efforts to curb the conflict's impact on regional stability.

By Tamilla Hasanova