Although the missile was intercepted out of Israeli airspace, sirens sounded at 4:00am, as millions of Israelis headed to bomb shelters.
The military spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility early this morning (Thursday) for launching a hypersonic ballistic missile, identified as the "Palestine 2," targeting what he called “occupied Jaffa”—a reference to the area around Tel Aviv and its Ben Gurion Airport—in a predawn attack.
Millions of Israelis throughout central Israel were woken up at 4:00am by the now familiar air raid sirens, warning of incoming rocket fire.
According to Saree, the operation successfully achieved its objectives, though no independent confirmation of damage or casualties in Israel has been reported.
In the same statement, Saree asserted that Houthi forces also attacked the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and several accompanying American warships overnight with a combination of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Truman, a Nimitz-class carrier, has been deployed in the Red Sea as part of U.S. efforts to counter Houthi threats to maritime traffic. Saree framed these strikes as retaliation for U.S. military actions in Yemen, though the Pentagon has not yet confirmed damage to its naval assets. e encompassing both Israel and U.S. naval positions in the region.
The Houthi claims come against a backdrop of intensified U.S. military operations in Yemen. Last night’s American strikes on Houthi-controlled areas were notably larger in scope and impact compared to the preceding two nights, targeting what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has previously described as missile launch sites, drone facilities, and command hubs in cities like Sanaa and Hodeidah. These strikes, part of a broader campaign since January 2024 alongside occasional British involvement, aim to degrade the Houthis’ ability to disrupt Red Sea shipping lanes—a vital global trade route—and to deter their attacks on Israel. The escalation follows a pattern: just days ago, on March 15, U.S. forces hit Houthi targets after the group resumed assaults post a brief lull tied to a Gaza ceasefire that began January 19.
The "Palestine 2," touted by the Houthis as a hypersonic weapon with a potential speed exceeding Mach 5, poses a challenge to Israel's air defenses due to its velocity and trajectory, though past claims of precision strikes have often been exaggerated.
Meanwhile, the Truman’s presence underscores U.S. commitment to regional stability, a stance reinforced by President Donald Trump’s March 15 pledge of “overwhelming lethal force” against Houthi aggression, signaling no letup in the tit-for-tat exchanges rocking the Middle East.
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