The IDF's Arrow system intercepted a missile sent from Yemen, triggering sirens across the center of Israel, the military confirmed on Friday.
צה"ל: האזעקות במרכז - עקב טיל ששוגר מתימן • תיעוד מקריית מלאכי >>@Doron_Kadosh @galdjerassi pic.twitter.com/5l6XkXtxiC
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) September 26, 2024
The missile was intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, according to the IDF, causing loud booms and debris to fall.
The IDF has had to deploy the Arrow aerial defense system to prevent Houthi attacks several times during the war, including a Houthi missile that targeted Eilat in February and a missile sent targeting Tel Aviv on September 14.
Magen David Adom (MDA) said that no injuries had been reported but that several people suffered anxiety attacks or were injured while seeking shelter.
Confirmed retaliation
The attack came after the IDF confirmed it had killed Hezbollah's drone unit chief, Muhammad Hossein Sarur, in strikes on Beirut the previous day.
Sarur was reportedly operating as Hezbollah's liaison to the Houthis, advising them on aerial strategies.
Nasruddin Amer, chairman of the Houthi-backed Yemeni state news agency Saba, confirmed on X/Twitter that the strike was in retaliation for the killing of Sarur in Lebanon, using his alias "Haj Abu Saleh."
يافا المحتلة تحت النار يا حاج ابوصالح pic.twitter.com/a7oDQlOunu
— نصر الدين عامر | Nasruddin Amer (@Nasr_Amer1) September 26, 2024
Israel's recent campaign in Lebanon has seen astounding success, with several high echelons of Hezbollah's intelligence and operational network being targeted and destroyed.