Tel-Aviv : For the first time, the Iran-aligned Houthis controlling northern Yemen launched a surface-to-surface missile that reached central Israel early Sunday, striking an unpopulated area. Though no injuries were reported, the missile ignited air raid sirens across Tel Aviv and the surrounding areas at approximately 6:35 a.m. local time (0335 GMT), causing residents to take shelter. Loud explosions were heard across the region, which the Israeli military said were from missile interceptors.

“Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in central Israel, a surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing into central Israel from the east and fell in an open area. No injuries were reported,” the military confirmed.

Nasruddin Amer, the deputy head of the Houthis' media office, claimed on social media platform X that a Yemeni missile had successfully penetrated Israeli defenses after "20 missiles failed to intercept" it, calling the event the "beginning" of more actions.

Smoke was visible in an open field in central Israel, though the exact cause—whether from the missile impact or interceptor debris—was not immediately clear. This incident marks the first time that a Houthi-launched missile has successfully penetrated deep into Israeli airspace.

The Iran-backed Houthis have launched missiles, drones, and cruise missiles at Israel since the Gaza war outbreak in October, describing their actions as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. While most projectiles have been intercepted, a similar attack in March saw a missile land in an open area near the Red Sea city of Eilat. Additionally, in July, a Houthi drone strike reached Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding four others, marking the first attack from abroad using a drone to target Tel Aviv. That incident prompted Israeli airstrikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen’s Hodeidah port.

The Houthis reiterated their stance on continued escalation. A senior Houthi official, Nasr al-Din Amer, praised the missile’s success in reaching Israel, declaring, “The [Israeli] defense systems failed and the Yemeni missile arrived thanks to Allah. The depths of the enemy are now completely exposed to us. In the past, it was UAVs, and now the missiles arrived without interception. The future holds many things.”

Another high-ranking Houthi figure, Hezam al-Asad, posted a message in Hebrew on X, stating that the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, would address the public later on Sunday. “Whether in your underground shelters or outside of them, it would behoove you to listen with close attention this afternoon to what is said by” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, he wrote, signaling further threats.

The missile attack set off sirens in areas ranging from Tel Aviv to Modiin, with reports of shrapnel damage at a train station near Modiin. Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport were seen taking cover as alarms blared, and at least nine people were treated for minor injuries after running to shelter.

In a separate but related incident, Israel’s military reported that 40 projectiles were fired from Lebanon toward Israel on the same day, though no injuries were reported as they either landed in open areas or were intercepted.

Israeli authorities have yet to confirm whether the missile fired from Yemen was intercepted in full or in part, and a military investigation is underway to determine how the projectile breached Israel’s air defenses.

Sunday’s attack underscores the Houthis’ evolving missile capabilities and their growing involvement in regional conflicts, especially in relation to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. Despite Israel’s robust air defense systems, the missile attack highlights vulnerabilities, as the Israeli Defense Forces have long warned that no system is entirely impenetrable.

While schools and kindergartens in central Israel remained open following the incident, the psychological and strategic impact of the attack continues to reverberate, with residents and military personnel alike on heightened alert for further escalations.

This marks the latest in a series of missile strikes from the Houthis over the past 11 months, which have mostly targeted Israel’s southern regions but are now proving capable of reaching deeper into the country. In July, a drone launched by the Houthis killed a 50-year-old Israeli man in Tel Aviv, prompting Israeli retaliatory airstrikes against the Houthi-controlled Hodeidah port in Yemen, targeting fuel depots and military infrastructure.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their assaults on Israel, aligning themselves with Palestinian resistance groups and escalating tensions in the broader Middle East region. As the situation develops, both sides brace for potential further escalations.

The Magen David Adom rescue service confirmed it treated nine individuals for minor injuries sustained while running for cover as air raid sirens blared across central Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported no changes to Home Front Command instructions, and civilian life continued in central Israel, with schools and public services operating as usual.

In response to the Houthi threat, Israeli officials continue to assess the broader implications of the strike and the effectiveness of its missile defense systems.