A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi jihadists exploded in a public park in south Tel Aviv early Friday morning after Israeli air defenses failed to intercept it. The attack left 16 people with minor injuries from glass shards and 14 others bruised while rushing to shelters.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the projectile was a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, and said the situation was under review. They have not disclosed specific details about the defense failure but have stated that lessons are already being applied.
The missile strike is the latest in a series of Houthi attacks on Israel, which the group justifies as “acts of solidarity” with Palestinians. A senior Houthi official, Nasruddin Amer, taunted Israel over the attack, claiming the missile “evaded all defenses” and bragging about its speed and success.
This incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in Israel’s air defense systems as tensions rise in the region.
