Abdul-Malik al-Houthi announces launch of hypersonic missile
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Thursday that his group launched a hypersonic missile at the Israeli Defense Ministry, coinciding with Israeli airstrikes that target Yemen.
The claim was made in a recorded broadcast on the group's Al-Masirah TV channel after Israel said 14 fighter jets dropped dozens of bombs on five targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Al-Houthi emphasized that the missile attack sent a “strong message” and caused significant fear for Israelis.
He claimed that the port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat), a crucial Israeli port, had been disabled and closed and reiterated that Israeli attacks on Yemen would not affect the group's commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause.
The Iran-backed group announced earlier that it fired two “F-2 Palestine” ballistic missiles at “vital military targets” in Tel Aviv.
Israel later confirmed that a Yemeni missile had fallen in central Israel but claimed Tel Aviv intercepted the projectile.
The missile launches coincide with Israeli airstrikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, and the Red Sea port city of Al Hudaydah, targeting energy infrastructure and ports. Those strikes killed nine people and injured three, according to a Houthi statement.
This attack marks Israel's third assault on Yemen since the Gaza Strip genocide erupted in October 2023. The first two occurred in July and September, with targets including the Al Hudaydah's port and fuel facilities at a power plant.
The Houthis, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing an Israeli genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, expressing a determination to continue operations until the end of the onslaught on the enclave.
Since the beginning of 2024, a coalition led by the US has been conducting airstrikes that it said are targeting Houthi locations in parts of Yemen in response to attacks by the group in the Red Sea. The counterattacks have been occasionally met with retaliation from the group.
With the intervention of Washington and London, and an escalation of tensions, the Houthis announced they consider all American and British ships military targets.
