Why can’t Israel shoot down Houthi missiles?

The Houthi missiles may feature technology, including maneuverable warheads, that are designed to avoid detection and interception.

By World Israel News Staff

A hypersonic missile that struck a park in southern Tel Aviv over the weekend has left Israelis on edge – both from the attack itself, which wounded 16, and from the fact that the missile, which was launched from Yemen by the Houthis, was not intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems.

Last Thursday, another ballistic missile launched by the terror group struck an elementary school in Ramat Gan, completely destroying a building. While the IDF initially claimed that the missile had been intercepted and the damage was due to shrapnel, the extent of the destruction raised serious questions.

While the IDF said it is still investigating that incident, early findings suggest that the missile may have been struck by an interceptor that failed to destroy the missile’s warhead. That intact warhead appears to have struck the school, causing massive damage.

Some military experts have offered explanations as to why the missiles were able to evade Israeli interception.

“The Houthis made changes to the missiles, including reducing the explosive payloads and adding more fuel. If at the beginning of the war they mainly reached Eilat, then today they are suddenly reaching the Gush Dan [Tel Aviv] area,” former IDF Air Defense commander Brig.-Gen. (res.) Zvika Haimovich told Channel 12 News.

“The Houthis have become Iran’s first line of attack,” Haimovich added.”They have taken on this role, and that is why we have seen the threat intensify since the beginning of the ceasefire [with Hezbollah]. The solution is to escalate our steps against the Houthis and deal with Iran as the initiator of the aggression.”

Other security sources have suggested that the missiles, which were likely designed and manufactured in Iran, have maneuverable warheads. Designed to avoid detection, this feature sees the warhead detach from the missile and change its trajectory toward the end of its flight, making it extremely difficult to intercept.

Another theory, although less likely, is that the missile was launched in a “flattened” trajectory from an unexpected location, meaning that it was not picked up by American or Saudi Arabian radar systems in the region.

In a statement, the IDF pledged to apply lessons learned from the failures to future interceptions.