Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for a cruise missile launched from the Red Sea which landed near Eilat, in what marks the first time a projectile fired from the Iranian-backed group has struck Israel’s territory.
The Iran-aligned militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles at international commercial shipping in the region since November, in what they say is in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel’s military assault in Gaza.
Previously, missiles and drones fired from Yemen had hit neighboring countries or were intercepted by air defenses. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday it had tracked a “suspicious aerial target” which it confirmed was a cruise missile, The Times of Israel reported. No damage or injuries were caused and Newsweek has contacted the IDF for comment.
The Houthis also targeted the Marshall Islands-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tanker MADO in the Red Sea with naval missiles, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said.
Although the Houthi rebels described the tanker as American, Equasis’s shipping database says it was owned by the Greek company Naftomar.
The Houthis claimed it targets vessels with connections to Israel but it has frequently hit vessels with no clear links to the country, disrupting global shipping.
In response, the American and British navies have led international strikes against Houthi targets. The U.S. military said it had destroyed seven missiles and three drones on Monday in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that threatened merchant ships and U.S. Navy vessels.
“These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
