Israel says intercepts missile fired from Yemen

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said Saturday it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, whose Huthi rebels meanwhile reported several US strikes against their positions.

The Iran-backed Huthis, who control large parts of Yemen, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians.

An Israeli military statement early Sunday said that "a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" after air raid sirens sounded in several areas of the country.

An AFP journalist in Jerusalem said sirens were heard in the city.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the missile fire, which comes a day after Israel said it had intercepted two missile in 12 hours, both claimed by the Huthis.

In Yemen, the Huthi-run Saba news agency said the United States carried out strikes overnight on the capital Sanaa and the neighbouring districts of Bani Hashish and Khab Al Shaaf.

It did not provide further details about the reported strikes.

The Huthis have regularly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by the rebels' Palestinian ally Hamas.

The Huthis have also targeted shipping vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, drawing retaliatory strikes by the United States.

After President Donald Trump took office in January, the United States has intensified its bombing campaign against the Huthis, striking more than 1,000 targets in Yemen since mid-March, according to the US military.