Israel claims to intercept missile from Yemen amid regional tension over Gaza war

The Israeli army claimed Sunday to have intercepted a missile from Yemen as regional tension continued to escalate over the resumption of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire agreement.

A military statement said the missile was shot down before it entered Israeli airspace.

The army said air-raid sirens were activated in Tel Aviv according to protocol.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that all takeovers and landings were temporarily halted at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport following the missile strike.

Israel's national ambulance service Magen David Adom said two Israelis were injured in two separate crashes as they hurried for shelter after the rocket fire.

There was no immediate confirmation of the strike from the Yemeni Houthi group.

On Saturday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a hypersonic missile at the airport, the third in the past two days and the fifth since Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire deal this week.

The Houthi group has been attacking Israeli-linked ships passing through the Red and Arabian seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones since late 2023, disrupting global trade for what it said was a show of solidarity with the Gaza Strip.

The group halted its attacks when the ceasefire was declared in January between Israel and the Palestinian group, Hamas, but it threatened to resume the attacks when Israel blocked all humanitarian aid into Gaza on March 2.