The Israeli army announced this Friday that it had intercepted a missile coming from Yemen this morning, one day after the attacks launched by Israel against different Yemeni infrastructures under the control of the Huthi rebels.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) indicated that they had shot down a missile launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli airspace, according to a statement released at 3:47 am (1:47 am Portuguese time).
Anti-aircraft sirens sounded in several parts of central Israel “due to possible falling debris from the interception”, said the statement, which did not provide details about the specific point where the missile was shot down.
The Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom indicated that, although there were no victims or injuries as a direct result of the missile shooting, 18 people were injured when trying to reach anti-aircraft shelters.
The missile launch also temporarily affected operations at Israel’s most important airport, Ben Gurion, located 45 kilometers from Jerusalem.
According to the official press, four flights from Europe had to briefly postpone their landing.
At least six people died and 40 were injured following Israeli attacks on different infrastructures in Yemen, under the control of the Huthi rebels, this Thursday.
Among those injured at the airport was the co-pilot of a plane carrying the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The person responsible for the UN agency had announced on his profile on the social network X that he escaped the attack, together with the team.
The attack launched by Israeli aviation hit infrastructure used by the Huthis at Sana’a airport, the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power plants and other positions in the ports of Hodeida, Salif and Ras Kanatib on the west coast, according to an Israeli military statement.
“(Israel) deliberately attacks civilians and destroys public service facilities to affect people’s lives and rights to move and travel safely”, Yemeni rebels accused, in turn, of this bombing, which they considered “a flagrant violation of international law”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu promised on Thursday that Israel will attack the Huthis in Yemen “until the mission” to neutralize them “is completed”, describing them as “Iran’s terrorist arm” after the bombing of military targets in the country.
According to Tel Aviv, the targets were being used by the Huthis to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and as a gateway for senior officials of the Iranian regime.
Since November 2023, a month after the start of the war in Gaza, the Huthis, allies of Iran, have attacked ships, mainly in the Red Sea, and targets in Israel, taking advantage of Yemen’s strategic position.
Source: rr.sapo.pt
