Houthi Missile Intercepted Over Israel Amid Escalating Regional Crisis

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Israel in a dramatic escalation of regional hostilities, triggering air raid sirens across Jerusalem and cities in central and southern Israel.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) successfully intercepted the missile before it entered Israeli airspace, marking the first direct Houthi attack on Israeli territory since U.S. airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in Yemen earlier this month.

The strike, claimed by the Iran-backed group as retaliation for American military actions, underscores the widening spillover of conflict in the Middle East.

In addition to the ballistic missile, two rockets were fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen, with one intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system. Separately, a rocket launched from Gaza—the first such attack in months—landed in an open area near Sderot, causing no casualties but heightening fears of renewed cross-border violence.

The dual-front assaults come as Israel’s war cabinet approved a controversial new military plan for Gaza, described by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as a “sustained campaign to dismantle terrorist infrastructure.”

Hours after the attacks, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to protest the government’s hardline stance, blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration for the collapse of recent ceasefire talks with Hamas.

“This government chooses endless war over hostages’ lives,” shouted one demonstrator, referencing the estimated 130 captives still held in Gaza.

The Biden administration privately urged Israel to avoid retaliating against the Houthi strike, according to U.S. officials, fearing further regional destabilization. However, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure from far-right coalition partners to respond forcefully.

“Israel cannot tolerate attacks from Yemen to Gaza,” said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, advocating for preemptive strikes on Houthi targets.

Public opinion polls reveal deep divisions among Israelis, with 52% supporting expanded military operations in Gaza and Yemen, while 48% prioritize hostage negotiations. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups warn that Israel’s new Gaza strategy risks exacerbating civilian suffering in the enclave, where over 35,000 Palestinians have died since the war began.

The Houthi missile attack signals a dangerous convergence of Middle Eastern conflicts, with Iran-aligned factions opening new fronts against Israel. As global powers scramble to contain the fallout, the specter of a regional war—stretching from the Red Sea to Lebanon—looms larger than ever.