Missile from Yemen Hits Central Israel, Triggers Air Raid Sirens

Photo : AP

A missile fired from Yemen landed in central Israel early Sunday, as the Israeli military confirmed, marking another escalation in the conflict stemming from the nearly yearlong Gaza war. The missile hit an open area, triggering air raid sirens, including at Israel's international airport, which briefly halted operations. Media footage showed people scrambling to shelters. While there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, a fire was spotted in a rural area of central Israel.

A fragment of the missile or interceptor reportedly landed on an escalator at a train station in the town of Modiin. The military clarified that the explosions heard in the area were from interceptors, used to prevent the missile from causing greater damage.

Although Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have previously claimed responsibility for launching drones and missiles at Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war, they did not directly take responsibility for Sunday’s strike. However, senior officials from the Houthi movement did seem to reference the attack. Hashim Sharaf al-Din, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run government, mocked Israel, stating that while Yemenis celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Israelis would be taking shelter. Another prominent Houthi figure, Hezam al-Asad, went so far as to post a message in Hebrew on the social platform X, further fueling tensions.

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In July, a Houthi-fired, Iranian-made drone struck Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding ten others. This prompted a swift Israeli retaliation, with airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen. The Houthis have continued their assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, characterizing these actions as part of their blockade in support of Palestinians, though the targeted ships often have no direct connection to Israel.

The war in Gaza, which began on October 7 with a large-scale Hamas attack on southern Israel, has had repercussions across the Middle East. Iran and its allied militant factions have been targeting both Israeli and US interests, sparking retaliatory strikes by Israel and its Western allies. These exchanges have periodically threatened to widen into a larger regional war.

Amid these hostilities, commercial aviation in and out of Israel has been frequently disrupted, further straining the country’s economy. Many international airlines have canceled flights due to security concerns.

The broader conflict is also marked by ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border. On Sunday, around 40 projectiles were fired from Lebanon, with most being intercepted or landing in open areas. The fighting in this border region has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides. Israel has repeatedly signaled its readiness to expand its military operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah’s rocket fire continues unabated. In turn, Hezbollah has stated it would cease its attacks if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

Efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to mediate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas have thus far failed to achieve significant breakthroughs. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that any ceasefire deal must include continued Israeli control over Gaza’s border with Egypt, citing Hamas’ use of tunnels beneath the border to smuggle weapons. However, Egypt and Hamas have strongly opposed this notion, with Egypt denying allegations of ongoing arms smuggling.

On Saturday, an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, revealed that although several tunnels have been discovered along the Gaza-Egypt border, only nine actually crossed into Egypt. According to the official, these tunnels had been sealed off, though it was unclear when this occurred. The findings weaken Netanyahu’s assertion that Israel must maintain a long-term presence in the border region to prevent future smuggling efforts. Egypt has claimed that it shut down the tunnels on its side years ago, bolstering its defenses by creating a military buffer zone along the border. 

The ongoing violence, coupled with diplomatic deadlock, continues to strain the fragile stability of the region, with no immediate resolution in sight.

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