JERUSALEM: Israel’s defence minister vowed a forceful response after a missile fired from Yemen was intercepted on Friday, in an attack claimed by the Iran-backed Huthi rebels.“The Huthis continue to launch Iranian missiles at Israel. As we promised, we will respond forcefully in Yemen and wherever necessary,” Defence Minister Israel Katzsaid in a post on X.Earlier, Israel’s military said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, and AFP journalists reported explosions heard in the Jerusalem area.In a statement, the Huthis, who control vast swathes of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, claimed responsibility for the missile launch.
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They said they had targeted Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. Friday’s release comes after attacks by the Huthis including a hit near Israel’s major airports on Sunday, in a unique missile strike that penetrated the government’s air defences. The Israeli army said Friday that” a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted” after heat raid sirens sounded in some areas. As a result, a journey from Larnaca in Cyprus had to wait its landing at Ben Gurion, airport authorities said. ” Everything is up to normal”, an aircraft representative told AFP. Yemen’s Huthis, who say they are acting in cooperation with the Palestinians, have launched repeated assaults on Israel and on Red Sea transport since soon after the October 2023 combat began between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Next Sunday’s missile struck in the area of the aircraft, gouging a large volcano near the main terminal building and injuring many people. Israel retaliated by attacking the aircraft in Sanaa on Tuesday, and even hit three local power facilities. The Jewish cuts, which crippled the aircraft, followed a US bombing campaign in response to Huthi challenges to maintain their attacks on shipment in the region. The United States and the Huthis reached a ceasefire agreement later on Tuesday, with mediator Oman announcing the deal to ensure “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea. But the Huthis vowed to continue targeting Israel and Israeli ships in the key waterway, saying that their deal with Washington does not include Israel.
