Israel Says Projectile Intercepted as Houthis Claim ‘Hypersonic Missile’ Fired

Saudi Arabia's air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthis in the southern city of Najran,on Sept. 5, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

The Israeli military said that its air defense system intercepted a projectile before it reached Israeli territory on Sunday as the Yemen-based Houthi terrorist group claimed it had launched a “hypersonic missile” against a vital target in central Israel.

Sirens sounded across several locations in central Israel early Sunday when a missile was spotted being launched from Yemen, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Israel did not specify whether the attack resulted in any injuries.

The Iran-backed Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it fired the missile toward the Jaffa area of central Israel in show of solidarity with Iran-backed Hamas’s efforts for a Palestinian state in war-torn Gaza.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the attack was carried out using a “Palestine 2” type missile and that it “successfully achieved its objective,” without elaborating further.

Analysts have cast doubt on the Houthi claims of possessing hypersonic missile capabilities due to a lack of credible evidence and advanced technology required to make the Mach 5-capable weapons. The IDF made the same assessment that based on the trajectory and flight path of Houthi missiles to date.

In a separate statement, Saree said the Houthis had simultaneously struck a U.S. destroyer and three U.S. supply ships in the Gulf of Aden with 16 ballistic and winged missiles and a drone.

The Houthi spokesman described the strikes targeting vessels linked to the U.S. military in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden as “accurate and direct.”

The U.S. military has confirmed that “three U.S. owned, operated, [and] flagged merchant vessels” were targeted in Houthi attacks while traversing the Gulf of Aden between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

There were no reports that the attacks hit their intended targets, with no injuries or damage to the vessels, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.

CENTCOM said the Navy destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane responded to the strikes and “defeated” three Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones, and a cruise missile.

“These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect U.S. personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis,” it said in a statement.

The Yemeni-based Houthi terror group has vowed to continue its attacks against Israel and U.S. ships at “an escalating pace” until the import restrictions on Gaza are lifted.

Saree said the group will double its military operations against Israel with missiles and drones in response to the ongoing Israeli conflict with Hamas.

The Houthis have targeted numerous commercial ships since the IDF launched its ground offensive operation against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas’ large-scale attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. So far, Houthi terrorists have seized one vessel and sunk two others in a campaign that has led to four casualties.