The Israeli military said early Friday that its air defense systems had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen before it could reach Israeli territory.
Warning sirens went off in several central Israeli areas due to the possibility of falling debris, the Israeli military said.
At least 18 Israelis were injured as they rushed to shelters, the Magen David Adom rescue service said.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack and said they targeted Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. They said a “hysonic ballistic missile” was used.
A Houthi drone force also carried out a military operation targeting the Santa Ursula ship in the Arabian Sea, they said.
The movement said they are ready to escalate their drone and missile attacks and that their “operations will not stop until the aggression against Gaza stops and the siege is lifted.”
The interception took place shortly after Israeli fighter jets attacked a series of locations in Yemen on Thursday, including the international airport and power stations.
According to officials in Yemen, the strikes resulted in at least six deaths and more than 40 injuries.
The Houthis are allied with Israel’s arch-enemy Iran, such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening reaffirmed Israel’s determination to dismantle the “Iranian axis of evil.”
Israeli aid workers inspect the damage at the site where a projectile fired from Yemen landed in Tel Aviv early Saturday. The Israeli military reported that it had failed to intercept the ‘projectile’ launched from Yemen, which struck Tel Aviv. The national medical service confirmed that 16 people were slightly injured. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
