Houthi missile fired at Israel intercepted as fresh air strikes hit Gaza

Yemen's Houthi armed group claimed they launched a missile towards Israel, but it was intercepted. The group's military spokesman said in a televised statement that the ballistic missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The Israel Defense Forces stated that alarms sounded in several areas of Israel, with no reports of casualties thus far, and the military claimed the missile was intercepted before entering Israeli airspace.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-run civil defense department in Gaza stated that Israeli attacks earlier on Thursday had killed at least 10 people. Israel expanded its ground operations in Gaza after launching a wave of airstrikes. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, these airstrikes have killed over 430 people in two days. Airstrikes on Thursday reportedly targeted six homes east of Khan Younis, and a spokesman for the Hamas-run civil defense department said the attacks also injured dozens.

The Israeli military said in a statement: "A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force before entering Israeli territory. Alarms sounded as per protocol." The Houthi armed group has vowed retaliation, including action against Israel, after the United States carried out deadly strikes against them in recent days. This Iranian-backed rebel group controls Sanaa and northwestern Yemen, but it is not the internationally recognized government of the country. The Houthis stated that their actions are in support of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran that it would face "terrible" consequences if the Yemeni Houthi armed group continued to attack international shipping lanes. The Pentagon stated that it has struck 30 targets in Yemen since Saturday, marking the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since Trump's return to the White House. After the deadly strikes on Yemen, the Houthis first attempted to attack the U.S. aircraft carrier "Harry S. Truman" in the Red Sea on Sunday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that troops have advanced to the Netzarim Corridor, which separates the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. The renewed attacks on Gaza mark the end of a fragile ceasefire agreement that had been in place since January. This comes after the United Nations said that two people, including a UN staff member, had died following an explosion at its compound in Deir al-Balah. The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages, 25 of whom were released alive during the first phase of the ceasefire. Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military offensive, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in the deaths of over 48,500 Palestinians and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.