The Israeli military reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired from Yemen by Houthi rebels on Tuesday. This marks the group’s first attack on Israel since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that sirens sounded in Israel following the missile launch from Yemen. The Israeli Air Force stated it successfully intercepted the missile before it entered Israeli airspace.
According to IDF sources cited by the Jerusalem Post, the U.S. strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, ordered by President Trump over the weekend, are believed to have discouraged the group from launching an earlier and larger attack on Israel.
Due to shrapnel from Tuesday’s interception, nearly a quarter of a million people in the central and southern Negev desert region were directed to bomb shelters as a precaution.
The Houthi attack occurred hours after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire broke down, reportedly due to the terror organization’s refusal to release additional Israeli hostages, according to U.S. officials.
Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza, but Israel believes only 24 of them are still alive.
Israel conducted operations on Tuesday, eliminating the leader of the Hamas government and other key figures in the terrorist organization.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry claims that Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 404 Palestinians, including women and children. This death toll has not been independently verified.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with security officials at the Kirya, Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon, on Tuesday during the airstrikes.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office posted on X as the airstrikes began.
’ Yonat Friling, Rachel Wolf, Louis Casiano, Landon Mion and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.