Yemeni missile suspends Israeli air traffic, as US strikes hit Yemen

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen + Israeli media
20 Mar 2025 21:16
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The Israeli occupation military claimed it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, marking the second such interception within a day.

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Smoke rises from a location struck by US airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, March 19, 2025 (AP)

Israeli media reported Thursday the suspension of air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport following the launch of a missile from Yemen toward central "Israel", triggering air raid sirens across multiple areas of the occupied territories, including al-Quds and the West Bank.

According to Israeli media, Channel 14 evacuated its staff, while Channel 12 cleared its studios after the sirens sounded.

The Israeli occupation military claimed it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, marking the second such interception within a day.

Shortly after, Yemen's Al-Masirah TV reported a fresh US aggression with four strikes on the Red Sea governorate of Hodeidah, while another targeted Saada in northern Yemen.

Brigadier General Yahaya Saree, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), announced early on Friday that the YAF's Rocket Force had fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at an Israeli military site located in southern occupied Yafa (Tel Aviv). Saree underscored that this was the second operation conducted by the YAF against Israeli targets in the past 24 hours. It is also the third overall, since the Israeli regime renewed its aggression on Gaza.

Since Saturday, the US has launched multiple rounds of strikes, including a heavy bombardment that killed 53 people.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military reported intercepting a projectile fired from Gaza, while two others landed in uninhabited areas after sirens were activated in central occupied Palestine.

Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for launching rockets toward Tel Aviv, describing the attack as retaliation for the ongoing Israeli "massacres against civilians" in Gaza.

During the early hours of Thursday, the Israeli military also intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, which the YAF said was a hypersonic ballistic missile targeting "Israel’s" main Ben Gurion Airport.

The Yemeni attack prompted nearly two million Israeli settlers to seek shelter, while "Israel’s" emergency medical service confirmed that 13 Israelis sustained injuries while rushing to bunkers.

Following the attack, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adjourned a meeting at the Knesset and proceeded to a shelter after the sirens were activated.

In a separate statement, the YAF announced that it had once again targeted a US aircraft carrier group in the Red Sea, marking the latest in a series of attacks following intensified American strikes against Yemeni territory.