BREAKING: Second Houthi missile attack from Yemen in 12 hours triggers Red Alert Sirens across Northern Israel

For the second time in less than 12 hours, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a ballistic missile toward Israeli territory, sending tens of thousands of northern residents scrambling into bomb shelters on Friday.

According to the IDF, a missile was detected early Friday afternoon as being fired from Yemen toward Israel. Israel’s aerial defense systems were immediately activated, and an interceptor was launched at the incoming missile. The IDF confirmed that the missile was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli airspace, though debris from the interception scattered across northern regions.

Red alert sirens sounded widely across the country, including in Haifa, the Jezreel Valley, the Gilboa region, Binyamina, the Upper and Lower Galilee, Wadi Ara, the Menashe region, the Beit She’an Valley, the Carmel, and surrounding areas. The IDF Home Front Command instructed residents in these regions to seek immediate shelter and adhere strictly to safety guidelines as precautionary alerts continued to be issued.

Earlier on Friday morning, remnants from a previous intercepted missile landed on the roof of the Gan Zayit kindergarten at Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek. Fortunately, no children were present at the time, and no injuries were reported. Shai Regev, head of education at the kibbutz, described the terrifying scene: “It’s a huge miracle. If this had happened while the kindergarten was open, children could have been injured. The fragments broke through the roof and ceiling it was a terrifying scene that shows just how close the danger is.” The kindergarten serves 32 children between the ages of four and six.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, reported no injuries in connection with the missile attacks, aside from a single man who sustained minor injuries while running to a shelter.

The Houthis have publicly claimed responsibility for both launches, explicitly stating that their target was the Ramat David Airbase in northern Israel. The IDF reiterated that all sirens and alerts were triggered according to protocol, and that interception efforts successfully neutralized the immediate threats before any missile entered Israeli airspace.

As tensions escalate, the IDF has emphasized that its air defense forces remain on high alert, particularly in the north, in anticipation of additional long-range missile threats from Yemen and other regional actors.