Suspected Yemeni missile disrupts Israeli air traffic; sirens sound
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Yemeni missiles continue to target Israeli assets in central occupied territories.
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The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile is seen moments before being fired. (Yemeni Armed Forces/Military Media)
Sirens blared across Tel Aviv and several surrounding settlements on Saturday afternoon, as reported by the Israeli Home Front Command.
Simultaneously, explosions echoed in Tel Aviv and at Ben Gurion Airport, prompting widespread alarm. According to Israeli Channel 12, air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport was disrupted following the launch of a suspected ballistic missile from Yemen.
An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the activation of alarms in multiple areas in central "Israel", stating, “The alarms were triggered due to a missile launched from Yemen. The incident is under investigation.”
Footage shared by Israeli media platforms shows Israeli settlers fleeing to shelter after sirens sounded in central "Israel".
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 18, 2025
Sounds of explosions were heard from the #WestBank after sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport, according to Israeli media.
According to the… pic.twitter.com/7uS3YdTWor
Israeli media further reported that firefighting teams were dispatched to Be’er Ya’akov, a settlement south of Tel Aviv, where a fire broke out from falling missile debris.
Magen David Adom, "Israel's" emergency medical service, reported injuries during the rush to shelters, with additional cases attributed to panic as settlers sought cover from the missile strike.
Yemen carries out three operations against 'Israel', one against US
The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced on Friday a series of military operations targeting Israeli and American objectives. These operations were carried out within the occupied territories and the Red Sea.
In a statement, Brigadier General Saree revealed that a military operation targeted vital Israeli sites in the Umm al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine. "The operation was executed using four cruise missiles and successfully hit its objectives," he declared.
The statement further detailed that the Yemeni Air Force conducted two additional operations. The first struck targets in the occupied city of Yafa with three drones, while the second targeted a strategic Israeli site in occupied Askalan using a single drone. Both operations reportedly achieved their goals.
Simultaneously, a fourth operation was carried out by Yemeni naval forces, targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman in the Red Sea. The attack involved several drones, marking the seventh such operation since the carrier's arrival in the region.
Yemen prepared to respond to aggression
Brigadier General Saree emphasized Yemen’s readiness to respond to any potential US or Israeli escalation, stating that Yemeni forces were closely monitoring developments in Gaza. He warned that Yemen would adopt escalatory measures if the Israeli occupation violates any agreements or intensifies its aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
He reaffirmed Yemen’s unwavering support for Palestine, pledging solidarity with the Palestinian people and their resistance until the complete liberation of their land and the expulsion of the Israeli occupation.
The operations come just hours after an American-British aggression targeted Yemen's Harf Sufyan district in Amran Governorate, north of Sanaa, with five airstrikes.
A few days ago, the YAF announced that its missile force and UAV unit targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and several accompanying warships in the northern Red Sea.
The operation involved multiple cruise missiles and drones and took place amid US attempts to carry out hostile operations against Yemen, the YAF said.
Yemen warns against escalation
The latest aggression also comes two days after the announcement of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.
Earlier, the Yemeni government in Sanaa warned the United States, the United Kingdom, the Israeli occupation, and all adversaries of Yemen against any retaliatory actions or conspiracies targeting the Yemeni people, vowing to confront any such aggression "with strength and determination."
The leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, reaffirmed Thursday that the YAF's stance aligns with Palestinian factions and will continue to support them as the ceasefire agreement in Gaza moves toward implementation on Sunday.
In a televised address, Sayyed al-Houthi emphasized that Yemeni military operations would persist in support of the Palestinian people if Israeli aggression, including massacres and escalation, continues.
