Millions of Israelis rush to bomb shelters after Houthis launch ballistic missile from Yemen towards central Israel; IDF reports missile successfully shot down en route.
By World Israel News Staff
Air raid sirens were sounded across central Israel and the Jerusalem area Sunday morning, after Houthi terrorists in Yemen launched a ballistic missile towards Israel.
At approximately 10:40, sirens were heard in over 100 towns spanning the most densely-populated parts of the Jewish state, including the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, the Sharon, Petah Tikva, Kfar Saba, Jerusalem and its environs, Beit Shemesh, and the Modi’in area.
An IDF spokesperson later confirmed that a ballistic missile launch from Yemen had been detected, adding that Israel’s missile defense network successfully intercepted and destroyed the missile before it reached Israeli airspace.
“Following the alerts that were activated a short time ago in several areas within the country, the Israel Air Force intercepted a missile launched from Yemen,” the Israeli military said.
“The missile was intercepted before crossing into the country’s territory, and the alerts were activated in accordance with policy.”
The attack came hours after US airstrikes hit Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa overnight and in the Saada area.
The Yemeni Al-Masirah outlet, a mouthpiece of the Houthis, claimed that a total of seven strikes were carried out overnight.
There were no immediate reports of injuries in Israel as a direct result of the missile attack.
However, several people were injured in traffic accidents and other incidents linked to the warning sirens.
In the Tel Aviv area, two people were reportedly injured, including a woman who stopped her car and exited the vehicle after sirens were sounded and fell into a 16-foot-deep pit. Another person was injured in Tel Aviv while rushing to a bomb shelter.
On Highway 4 near Zichron Yaakov, a car flipped over in an accident, leaving three injured people trapped inside the vehicle.
Police reported that missile debris had landed at multiple locations, including a soccer field in the Jerusalem-area town of Tzur Hadassah, the roof of a private home and the backyard of a second home in Eshtaol, on Route 375 and in an open field.
