IAF helicopter intercepts Houthi drone over southern Israel

Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched around 40 surface-to-surface missiles and 320 UAVs toward Israel, according to the IDF.

By JNS

An Israeli Air Force helicopter on Monday morning intercepted an armed drone over southern Israel that had been launched from Yemen, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

According to protocol, no sirens were activated, the military said.

On Wednesday night, Israeli air-defense systems shot down three Houthi drones launched from Yemen, with the military publishing video of one of the interceptions over the Mediterranean Sea.

Another UAV was intercepted over the Mediterranean earlier in the day, and a drone was shot down by IAF helicopters, triggering air-raid sirens in Gvulot, a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev.

Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched around 40 surface-to-surface missiles and 320 UAVs toward Israel, according to the IDF.

Israeli defenses intercepted most missiles and over 100 drones. Two missile fragments and two UAV hits were identified, while the rest caused no significant damage or failed to reach Israeli territory.

“In recent months, the Houthi terrorist regime in Yemen has conducted scores of aerial attacks against the State of Israel, including with surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs. The Houthi regime serves as a key proxy of the Iranian axis in the Middle East that is responsible for destabilizing the region and disrupting global shipping routes,” the IDF said.

On Friday, Israeli fighter jets hit Houthi targets on Yemen’s western coast and inland, the IDF stated.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Friday afternoon that “just as we promised, the Houthis are paying, and will continue to pay, a heavy price for their aggression against us,” according to an English translation of his remarks provided by his office.

It was the third time that the IDF had directly attacked Houthi targets in Yemen in the past month.

CENTCOM commander visits USS Harry S. Truman

Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman on Sunday.

Since December 2024, the carrier has been operating in the Red Sea against the Houthi threat.

He praised the crew’s professionalism and emphasized the carrier’s role in regional stability, maritime security, and showcasing U.S. naval power.

The carrier strike group has conducted multiple operations in response to Houthi attacks on U.S. and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.