Israel shot down Yemen’s ballistic missile, U.S. officials say
Israel claims it used the Arrow system to shoot down the missile and intercepted drones from the same direction with fighter jets.
Escalating Tensions in the Middle East: Israel Intercepts Yemen’s Ballistic Missile
As per two U.S. officials’ reports, suspected Houthi rebels fired a medium-range ballistic missile from Yemen toward Israel on Tuesday. In response to this threat, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activated their Arrow air defense system, a collaborative effort between Israel and the U.S., and successfully intercepted the missile.
The IDF confirmed that the surface-to-surface missile was fired in the direction of Israeli territory from the area of the Red Sea. However, it did not specify the exact origin of the missile, whether it came from Yemen or another location.
U.S. officials noted that the missile had an impressive range of over 2,000 kilometers (approximately 1,240 miles) but clarified that it did not pose a direct threat to U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea or to U.S. troops and personnel in the region.
This incident comes on the heels of a previous event on October 19, where a U.S. Navy warship successfully intercepted multiple drones and three cruise missiles that were launched from Yemen. These projectiles were heading potentially towards Israel, according to a statement by a Defense Department spokesman. The USS Carney, stationed in the northern Red Sea at the time, successfully neutralized the threats, which included both missiles and drones.
For Israel, this marks the first successful interception using the Arrow system since the conflict began earlier in the month. The IDF reported that on Tuesday, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled towards the Red Sea to intercept unspecified “aerial threats” that were located outside of Israeli territory.
In response to these events, a military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, a group with ties to Iran and engaged in conflict in Yemen, stated in a post that the Houthis had launched a significant number of ballistic and winged missiles directed at Israeli targets. The spokesperson further conveyed their intent to continue launching missile and drone attacks until what they refer to as Israel’s “aggression” against Palestinians in Gaza comes to an end.
Yemen is located just over 900 miles to the south of Israel, with Saudi Arabia situated in between. The likely trajectory for a projectile launched from Yemen towards Israel would typically take it over parts of Saudi Arabia and then across the Red Sea before reaching the southern regions of Israel.
This recent missile launch and the successful interception by Israel’s Arrow air defense system underscore the ongoing tensions and security challenges in the region. Israel remains vigilant in protecting its territory from potential threats, and the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve amid a complex web of conflicts and regional dynamics, including the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as other security concerns.
By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed
