Tel Aviv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Israel’s military stated on Saturday that a missile fired from Yemen towards Israeli territory had likely been successfully intercepted, while Yemen’s Houthi forces took credit for the attack.
Israel has warned Yemen’s Houthi movement that it will face a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel continue, following the movement’s claims of solidarity with Gaza.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed they launched a successful ballistic missile strike against Israel on Saturday, attacking a “sensitive Israeli enemy target” in Beersheba. “The operation successfully achieved its goal, thanks be to Allah,” the Houthis said.
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, stated that the group carried out Saturday’s attack, saying it launched a missile towards the southern Israeli city of Beersheba.
How has the Red Sea conflict affected global trade?
Since the onset of the war on Gaza by Israel in October 2023, the Houthis (the group that controls much of Yemen) have launched repeated attacks against Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and caused massive disruption to global trade.
On June 15, 2025, the Houthis in Yemen launched multiple ballistic missiles at central Israel, targeting areas including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Bat Yam, and Kiryat Ekron. This marked the first time a group publicly announced joint operational cooperation with Tehran for attacks on Israel. The Houthis confirmed they fired “Palestine 2” ballistic missiles as part of this joint operation.
How have Israeli airstrikes impacted Yemen’s infrastructure?
Israel has also conducted a series of retaliatory strikes against the Houthis in Yemen in response to their ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and international shipping. The escalation began in May 2025, following a Houthi missile strike near Ben Gurion Airport.
In May 2025, Israel launched airstrikes on multiple Houthi targets, including the al-Imran cement factory near Hodeidah and Sanaa International Airport. The airstrikes destroyed airport infrastructure and several aircraft, severely disrupting Yemen’s main air gateway for civilians and humanitarian aid.
