Israel intercepts missiles fired from Yemen

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said it intercepted two missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday, a day before a ceasefire is set to take effect in war-battered Gaza.

The military activated air raid sirens in Jerusalem and in parts of central and southern Israel ahead of the interceptions during the day, with the first projectile shot down in the morning.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed the morning attack, hours after the Israeli military intercepted the incoming missile.

The Huthis "carried out a specific military operation targeting the so-called Ministry of Defence of the Israeli enemy... using a ballistic missile" in central Israel, the rebels said in a statement.

The morning attack had triggered explosions over Jerusalem as the military intercepted the missile, AFP journalists reported.

Later, sirens blared across southern Israel as a second missile was fired from Yemen and intercepted by the Israeli air force, the military said.

"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in the areas of Eilat and Arava, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" before crossing into Israeli territory, it said.

The latest launches from Yemen came as a ceasefire in the war in Gaza would take effect from 0630 GMT on Sunday.

The Huthis have repeatedly launched missile and drone attacks on Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.

On Friday, the Yemeni rebels warned they would keep up their attacks if Israel did not respect the terms of the ceasefire with Hamas.

The Huthis, part of Iran's "axis of resistance", have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea throughout the war in Gaza, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.

In December, 16 people were wounded in Tel Aviv in one of their attacks on Israel.

In response, Israel has struck Huthi targets in several air raids, including in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.