The Yemeni Houthi group has claimed responsibility for launching drone and missile attacks on Tel Aviv and Eilat in Israel, targeting key sites in both cities as tensions in the region escalate.
The Yemeni Houthi group claimed responsibility for a series of new attacks on Israel late Tuesday, including strikes in central and southern regions, specifically targeting Tel Aviv and Eilat. In a recorded statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed that drone forces launched a “special military operation” targeting unspecified sites in Tel Aviv’s occupied Jaffa area. A second operation, using a cruise missile, struck a power station in the Umm Rashrash area near Eilat.
Saree asserted that both operations were successful. Earlier in the day, the Houthis also claimed responsibility for hitting Israel’s Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv with a hypersonic ballistic missile, which they said Israeli interception systems failed to neutralize. However, the Israeli military countered the claim, stating that the missile was intercepted before entering Israeli airspace. During the interception, Magen David Adom emergency services reported 11 people injured while rushing to shelters and four others suffering panic attacks.
These latest developments occur amid reports of progress in negotiations for a potential cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis, expressing solidarity with Gaza, have been targeting Israeli cargo ships or those linked to Tel Aviv in the Red Sea using missiles and drones, vowing to continue their attacks until the ongoing conflict in Gaza ends.
Since the beginning of 2024, a U.S.-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen in retaliation for the group's Red Sea attacks. These strikes have occasionally been met with retaliation from the Houthis. Amid growing international involvement, including the U.S. and U.K., the Houthis have declared that all American and British ships in the region are considered military targets.
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