THAAD system during a live-fire test on September 10, 2013 in the vicinity of the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/ Reagan Test Site and surrounding areas in the western Pacific. U.S. Army\Missile Defense Agency
Two missiles launched from Yemen at Israel on March 27 were successfully intercepted by air defenses, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Amid the missile attack, sirens sounded across central Israel, Jerusalem and numerous surrounding towns, as well as in a number of settlements in the occupied West Bank. However, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage in the attack.
Italy’s ITA Airways said it had to divert one of its flights because of the missiles and that the flight later landed in Ben Gurion Airport safely.
“Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, two missiles launched from Yemen were intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory,” the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF didn’t provide any further details on the interceptions. However, photos posted to social networks later revealed that the missiles were in fact intercepted by the THAAD air defense system that the United States military deployed along with operators in Israel last October.
The photos showed the remains of a THAAD missile that fell in Jordan, which confirms that the interceptions took place outside Israeli territory.
The THAAD was designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach.
The system can engage missiles at ranges of 150-200 kilometers Typically, each system consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate. The U.S. military reportedly has seven systems in service, including the one currently deployed in Israel.
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Shortly after the attack, the Houthis claimed responsibility for launching the two missiles, saying that a Zulfiqar ballistic missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport and a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile was launched at a “military target” near the city of Jaffa in central Israel.
The group also announced that it had targeted the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and other warships of the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea with ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones
Houthi military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, stated that this was “only the beginning” of their attacks against Israel.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that the U.S. aggression will only increase the steadfastness and resilience of the Yemenis, and that the confrontations of the past few days were only the beginning of what will be a gradual expansion of defensive operations in the coming days. The enemy will witness more of the strength, resilience, determination, and faith of the stubborn Yemeni people,” the spokesman said.
“We will continue to prevent Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas, and we will continue to support and stand by our steadfast, oppressed brothers in Gaza until the aggression against them stops and the siege is lifted,” he added.
Over the last 24 hours, more U.S. strikes hit the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled Yemen capital, Sanaa, killing two people and wounding two others, according to the Al-Masirah TV.
The U.S. military resumed strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on March 15 on orders from President Donald Trump, who said that the large-scale operation was launched in response to the group’s renewed attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
So far, the U.S. aerial campaign has claimed the lives of 56 people, including commanders of the Houthis and civilians. Despite taking the losses, the Iran-backed group remains undeterred.
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