Post-midnight alert rouses millions to new Yemeni attack on central Israel. One moderately injured. Israel vows strong retaliation.

Shortly after midnight on Friday, September 27, 2024, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) successfully intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Yemen using the Arrow aerial defense system. The missile, fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, was aimed at central Israel, triggering sirens across multiple cities and awakening millions from their sleep. The striked marked the latest in a series of missile attacks from Yemen, as tensions escalate across the region.

The missile was intercepted outside Israeli airspace, and debris from the interception fell, causing loud explosions but no direct injuries. However, local authorities reported some individuals suffered anxiety attacks and a few were injured while rushing to find shelter. A 17-year-old was moderately hurt in a car accident while seeking safety after the sirens sounded.

The IDF confirmed the missile was shot down by the Arrow system, which is designed to handle long-range threats like ballistic missiles. “A missile was fired from Yemen towards Israel and successfully intercepted by the Arrow aerial defense system,” the IDF stated on X (formerly Twitter). This interception follows several other attacks launched by the Houthis, including a missile targeting Tel Aviv earlier in the month.

Nasruddin Amer, a senior Houthi official, confirmed on social media that this strike was a direct response to an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, which had killed a key Hezbollah operative, Muhammad Hussein Srour, who was believed to be coordinating with the Houthis. Amer declared that the missile strike was part of a broader retaliatory campaign against Israeli operations.

The IDF has had to activate its Arrow system multiple times during the ongoing conflict, as Houthi missiles from Yemen pose a significant threat. Despite this, Israeli defense forces maintain that their defense systems are highly effective in protecting Israeli airspace from such long-range missile threats.

An Israeli security official promised swift retaliation for this and other recent strikes from Yemen.

The US and its allies have called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent further escalation, but Israel has firmly rejected these calls, continuing its military campaign against Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, and across the region.