"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" by the Israeli air force, an army statement said.

Following the interception, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that "Yemen will be treated like Tehran," an apparent reference to the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran in which Israel pummelled Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as targets in the capital.

"After striking the head of the snake in Tehran, we will also strike the Huthis in Yemen. Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off," Katz said, according to a statement from his office.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have launched repeated missile and drone attacks against Israel since their Palestinian ally Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

On Saturday, the Huthis said they fired a ballistic missile towards Israel in response to Israel's conduct towards Palestinians during the Gaza war.

It was the first missile launch against Israel announced by the Huthis since the June 24 ceasefire between Israel and Iran which ended their 12-day war.

The Huthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that ended in March, but renewed them after Israel resumed its offensive.

Israel has carried out several retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting Huthi-held ports and the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.