Houthis attack Israel with 'hypersonic ballistic missile'

On September 15, 2024, Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen launched a missile attack on central Israel and said they would carry out more strikes “in solidarity” with Palestine. The hypersonic ballistic missile, which traveled 2,040 km in 11 and a half minutes, was launched, Agence France-Presse reported, citing the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Sarea.

It took a short time from the time the air raid siren was sounded in Tel Aviv and throughout central Israel until the rocket hit at 6:35 a.m. The military says the loud explosions were caused by interceptors. According to Nasreddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media service, 20 rockets were launched toward Israel, but none were intercepted.

“After the sirens sounded, a surface-to-surface missile was detected in central Israel, flying across the territory from east to west and landing in an open area. There were no casualties,” the IDF said.

In July, the Israeli Air Force struck the port of Al Hudaydah in Yemen in retaliation for a series of Houthi strikes on Israel using more than 220 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.