Israeli investigation reveals details of Yemen missile interception failure

An investigation by the Israeli army on Saturday disclosed several failed attempts to intercept a ballistic missile launched from Yemen, which struck central Tel Aviv.

The missile, fired by Houthi forces, landed in a stadium in the Jaffa area early Saturday creating a large crater, injuring 20 people, and damaging numerous apartments, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.

The investigation revealed that the missile was detected and an alert was issued for the central region, according to the Israeli army report.

It noted that initial interception attempts using upper-atmosphere defense systems failed outside Israeli borders. Subsequent attempts at lower altitudes also missed allowing the missile to penetrate Israel's defense system and strike Jaffa.

The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack with spokesperson Yahya Saree noting that the missile targeted a military site in response to Israeli airstrikes on Yemen and the ongoing war in Gaza.

On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes on Yemen targeted infrastructure in Sana'a and Al Hudaydah killing nine civilians and injuring others.

The Houthis, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing an Israeli genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, expressing a determination to continue operations until the end of the onslaught on the enclave.