Israel intercepts missile from Yemen after deadly strikes on Huthi targets

The Israeli military intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on Thursday, just one day after Israeli air strikes targeted Huthi sites in Yemen, reportedly killing 46 people and injuring over 160, according to Huthi officials.

The Huthi rebels — an Iran-backed group that has been launching missiles and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 — did not claim responsibility for Thursday’s missile. However, the Israeli military confirmed on Telegram that it had intercepted a missile following air raid sirens in several parts of the country.

The missile launch follows deadly Israeli strikes on Wednesday targeting the Huthi armed forces' media operation in the rebel-held capital Sanaa and a government complex in Yemen’s Jawf province.

Anees Alasbahi, spokesperson for the Huthi-run health ministry, posted on X that the death toll had risen to 46, with 165 people wounded, warning the figures were not final. Initial reports included 28 dead and 113 injured in Sanaa, and seven dead and 18 wounded in Jawf.

The Huthis also claimed that Wednesday’s Israeli air strikes killed journalists and media workers, as well as several top officials. Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said that the “Moral Guidance Headquarters” in Sanaa was among the targets and that journalists from September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers were killed in the attack.

Last month, the Huthis suffered one of their most significant losses in the conflict when their prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, along with nine ministers and two cabinet officials, were killed during a government meeting — marking the most high-profile assassinations of Huthi leaders since the group began hostilities with Israel.

U.S. sanctions Huthi-linked entities in largest action to date

In parallel with Israeli military action, the United States announced new sanctions targeting the Huthis. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 32 individuals and entities, as well as four ships, in what it described as its largest single action against the Huthi network.

Among the targets are Chinese companies accused of supplying chemicals used in ballistic missile production and electronics for drones, and a UAE-based ship management company believed to be supporting Huthi logistics.

“We will continue applying maximum pressure against those who threaten the security of the United States and the region,” said Treasury official John Hurley in a statement.

Escalating conflict

On Sunday, a drone launched from Yemen struck Israel’s Ramon airport in the south, wounding one person — part of a string of attacks by the Huthis since the war in Gaza began.

Israel has responded with several rounds of air strikes in Yemen, hitting infrastructure including ports, power stations, and Sanaa’s international airport.

While the situation remains volatile, the latest interception and retaliatory actions underscore growing regional tensions and the widening impact of the Gaza conflict across the Middle East.

SR