The Shia rebels Houthi her Yemeni claimed responsibility today for a rocket fired into Israel that injured 16 people. For its part, the Israeli army announced that it tried to intercept “without success” a “missile” originating in Yemen.

In a statement, the Houthis indicated that they had struck a “military target of the Israeli enemy” in the area of Jaffa with “Palestine 2 supersonic ballistic missile”.

According to the Israeli first aid service, from the attack in the Jaffa district of Tel Aviv 16 people were slightly injured by the breaking windows, among them a 3-year-old girl.

“After sirens sounded in central Israel, a missile fired from Yemen was detected and attempts to intercept it were made without success,” the Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) said in a post on the Telegram platform.

First responders indicated that they were informed at 03:48 (local and Greek time) of a hit in the Jaffa neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv, adding that they immediately dispatched several units to the scene.

Rescuer Yosef Kurdi, who lives in the area, said he heard “a loud explosion”: “I immediately rushed to the scene and saw that a neighboring apartment building has been severely damaged due to the explosion.”

In their statement, the Houthis said the rocket was fired in response to “the massacres against the people of Gaza” and “in retaliation for the Israeli attack on our country.”

On Thursday, Israel bombed Houthi ports and energy infrastructure in Yemen, more than 1,500 kilometers south of Israeli territory, killing them. nine peopleaccording to the rebels.

These strikes were carried out in retaliation for the launch of a missile by the Houthis, due to the “partial interception” of which serious damage was caused to a school in Ramat Ganclose to Tel Avivas explained by the Israeli army.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then warned the Houthis, stressing that “anyone who harms Israel will pay a heavy price.”

The rebels, for their part, claimed responsibility for firing two rockets and a drone against “Israeli military targets” in Jaffa.

Most of the Houthi attacks against Israel have been intercepted or caused only material damage. But in July an Israeli citizen was killed in a drone attack on Tel Aviv. Israel then responded by launching strikes against the port of Hodeidah, killing six people and causing significant damage.

At the same time, the Houthis, who control much of Yemen, regularly attack ships they believe are linked to the Israelthe USA or the Britain in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the Houthis have launched several attacks against Israel, claiming that they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.