Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Early on March 20, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen launched another missile at Israel and attacked a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said that the group targeted “Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied Yafa [Tel Aviv] area with a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile,” noting that the operation “successfully achieved its goal.”
“The operation comes in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and in response to the massacres committed by the criminal Zionist enemy against our brothers in the Gaza Strip,” the spokesman added.
Brig. Gen. Saree also claimed in the same statement that the Houthis targeted the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and a number of other U.S. warships in the Red Sea with an unspecified number of ballistic and cruise missiles in addition to drones.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that the American enemy will fail to prevent Yemen from targeting the Israeli enemy in response to its massacres against our brothers in Gaza. They also emphasized that the intensification of airstrikes and the launching of more raids will not deter Yemen and the Yemenis from fulfilling their religious and moral duty towards the oppressed Palestinian people,” the spokesman said.
“The Armed Forces will continue, relying on God, to prevent Israeli navigation and support our brothers in Gaza until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted,” he added.
Hebrew media that warning sirens are activated throughout central Israel and the Jerusalem area amid the Houthi missile attack.
Later, the Israeli Defense Forces announced that the Yemeni missile was intercepted by the air force before entering Israeli airspace. A statement from the military said that “the sirens were activated in accordance with protocol,” apparently due to concerns of falling debris.
Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said that it had received no direct reports of injuries from debris, though medics treated several people suffering acute anxiety or who were hurt while rushing to shelters.
From its side, the U.S. Central command, which oversees the country’s military operations in the Middle East, reported that strikes against the Houthis were still ongoing “24/7,” without mentioning any attacks on U.S. Navy warships by the group. Videos showing some of the recent operations were released by the command.
Yemen has been witnessing a serious escalation since the U.S. began launching strikes against the Houthis on March 15 upon orders from President Donlad Trump, who said that the large-scale operation was a response to the group’s attacks on shipping.
So far, the strikes have claimed the lives of some 53, including commanders of the Houthis and civilians. Despite taking the losses, the group remained undeterred as evident by its recent attacks. Israel will likely join U.S. operations in the coming days.
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