Missile from Yemen intercepted over Red Sea as Houthi chief vows to keep up attacks

A surface-to-surface missile, believed to have been launched from Yemen by Iran-backed Houthi rebels toward Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat, was intercepted over the Red Sea Tuesday, as the group’s leader claimed responsibility and vowed to continue attacks on Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces said the long-range Arrow air defense system had been used to shoot down the missile.

Sirens sounded in Eilat for the second time in the day, though the IDF said the missile did not enter Israeli airspace.

Earlier, the military said rocket sirens had sounded due to an air defense missile being fired at an “aerial target.”

The IDF said there had been no actual infiltration into Israeli airspace.

It was unclear what the target was, or whether it was intercepted.

Last week, a drone launched from Syria crashed into a school in Eilat, causing some damage to the school. There were no serious injuries in the blast, but the Magen David Adom ambulance service treated five people for acute anxiety, as well as a man in his 20s for smoke inhalation.