Israel Intercepts Missile Fired by Houthis at Eilat

 Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired by Houthis at Port City of Eilat

Israeli forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Houthi militants in Yemen targeting the southern city of Eilat, following Israeli strikes on Yemeni port facilities in Hodeidah.

Brig Gen Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, claimed that multiple ballistic missiles were fired towards Eilat and an American ship in the Red Sea was targeted with missiles and drones, both of which he described as “successful”.

The Houthi group had vowed a “huge” response to Israeli attacks amid concerns of escalating regional conflict. Heavy fighting was reported in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, with numerous casualties from Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza.

“The Houthis’ response to the Israeli aggression against our country is inevitably coming and will be huge,” said Saree.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that its Arrow 3 missile defense system intercepted the missiles directed at Eilat early on Sunday outside Israeli airspace. Sirens were activated in Eilat to warn residents of possible falling shrapnel.

The missile attack followed Israeli airstrikes on oil facilities and a power station near Hodeidah, which according to Saree, resulted in three deaths, 87 injuries, and significant damage to the port facilities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hodeidah’s port was targeted because it was used for military purposes by the Houthis. “They used this weapon to attack Israel, to attack the countries of the region, to attack an international shipping lane, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world,” Netanyahu said after the strikes.

The strikes on Hodeidah raised concerns about the delivery of international aid to Yemen, where millions face starvation and an estimated 18.2 million people need humanitarian assistance, according to the EU. The UN has described Hodeidah port as “critical to the delivery of food and humanitarian assistance”.

Saudi Arabian authorities denied involvement in the attack and did not allow their airspace to be used for the strikes, despite ongoing conflict with Houthi militants.

The Israeli strikes on Hodeidah were a response to a rare drone attack on Tel Aviv early Friday morning, which killed one man and injured 10 others. The Houthis claimed success in the drone attack due to their advanced drone capabilities, while Israeli authorities cited “human error” for the lapse in air defenses.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks as long as Israeli assaults on Gaza persist. Israeli strikes in Gaza have resulted in over 38,000 deaths in nearly 10 months of conflict, the longest in the country's history.

The Houthis’ targeting of global shipping routes in the Red Sea has disrupted trade, forcing ships to reroute away from Eilat and significantly affecting the port's business.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure domestically and from military officials to agree to a ceasefire deal, potentially involving the release of some of the estimated 116 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a pause in fighting.

Netanyahu met with negotiators before his scheduled departure to Washington, where he is expected to meet President Joe Biden and address Congress. Netanyahu's office announced a delay in his departure to Monday morning, with the Biden meeting set for Tuesday.

Observers hope Netanyahu’s trip to the US will help ease tensions in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, where the IDF is engaged with Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants, and prevent a regional war.

Hezbollah recently fired rockets towards a kibbutz in northern Israel in response to an Israeli strike in Lebanon. Hamas militants based in Lebanon also fired at an Israeli army base, and a drone strike injured two Israeli soldiers in the occupied Golan Heights.

Despite US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s assertion that a ceasefire deal was near, major gaps remain in the negotiations. US efforts to prevent war between Israel and Lebanon have seen more success than those aimed at securing peace in Gaza. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah indicated the group would halt attacks on Israel if a Gaza ceasefire is achieved.

Approximately 200,000 people are displaced on both sides of the “blue line” marking the Israel-Lebanon border.