Missiles from Yemen send millions of Israelis scrambling for shelter

Two missiles were successfully intercepted, and no injuries or damage were reported.

By Akiva Van Koningsveld, JNS

Air-raid sirens pealed across central Israel on Thursday following missiles launched at the Jewish state by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group, sending millions of civilians running for bomb shelters.

“Following alerts that were activated a short time ago in several areas of the country, two missiles launched from Yemen were intercepted,” the Israeli army said. “Both missiles were intercepted before they crossed into the country’s territory, alerts were activated according to policy.”

Sirens were activated as far north of Kfar Saba, some 15 miles from Tel Aviv, and as far south as the Hebron area in southern Judea, the Israel Defense Forces said. Alerts also sounded in Jerusalem.

Israel’s Magen David Adom medical emergency response group said there were no immediate reports of injuries from the attack, except for anxiety attacks and people who were hurt on their way to a shelter.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News broadcaster, missile shrapnel was discovered in the Western Samaria community of Mevo Horon, which is located right next to Modi’in, a city of around 100,000.

The attack was the second from Yemen this week. On Monday night, the IDF intercepted a Houthi missile heading for Israel’s densely-populated central region. Local media aired footage of the missile being intercepted over Jerusalem. Shrapnel fell in the city of Beit Shemesh, some 12 miles west of Jerusalem in the Judean foothills.

That attack followed another on Sunday morning, which likewise triggered air-raid sirens, including in Tel Aviv. The missile was successfully shot down.

Since Hamas initiated the war on Oct. 7, 2023, by murdering some 1,200 people in Israel, the Houthis have fired over 350 drones and missiles at the Jewish state in support of the Palestinian terror group, in addition to carrying out numerous attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

The Houthis resumed their attacks on Israel on March 18, marking the first time that the country’s air defenses were activated against a threat from Yemen since mid-January, when a Gaza truce went into effect.