Israeli army intercepts missile from Yemen, sirens wail in Eilat

By Nathan Morley

Yemen’s Houthis say they have targeted Israel’s resort city of Eilat with a ballistic missile. 

The attack, which failed to reach its target, was in response to an Israeli strike on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Saturday which hit a fuel depot causing huge fires. 

The Houthi’s health ministry said six people were killed at the port and 80 wounded.

Images on social media showed giant flames and a dark column of smoke in the sky. According to local media, 12 Israeli jets were involved in the attack, including F-35 fighters.

These are believed to be the first attacks claimed by Israel on Yemen which is around 2,000 kilometers away

The assault was launched a day after a Houthi drone killed one person in Tel Aviv after flying through Israel's defense system.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said further operations against the Houthis would follow ‘if they dare to attack us.’

Despite that warning, early Sunday morning, the Israeli military said it intercepted another missile fired from Yemen aimed at the port city of Eilat on the Red Sea, which ‘did not reach Israeli territory.’

The Yemeni government, internationally recognized and supported by Saudi Arabia in its war against the Houthis since 2014, condemned the Israeli strikes, and held Israel ‘responsible for the worsening of the humanitarian crisis.’

Meanwhile, Israel's north was under fire over the weekend. 

The Lebanese Hezbollah militia fired dozens of rockets at Israel including at a kibbutz. The shelling was in retaliation for an Israeli drone attack shortly before, in which several people were injured, including children.

Elsewhere, Hamas said it had fired rockets from Lebanon at an Israeli army post in the village of Shomera in retaliation for the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. However, attacks by the group from Lebanon are very rare.