Israel says it downed Yemen-fired missile claimed by Huthis

"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" before entering Israeli territory, the military said.

The Huthis, who control large parts of Yemen, said they targeted an air base "east of the occupied area of Haifa" with a "hypersonic ballistic missile".

The insurgents have carried out dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel since the Gaza war began with Hamas's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack.

They are part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and the United States, presenting themselves as defenders of Palestinians in Gaza.

Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement that the group's "support operations will continue until the aggression against Gaza ceases and the siege is lifted".

The Huthis have also repeatedly targeted merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, drawing retaliatory strikes by Israel, the United States and Britain.

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the United States has intensified its bombing campaign, with almost daily strikes for more than a month.

Huthi media said this week that US strikes on the movement's stronghold of Saada killed at least 68 people, all Africans being held at a "centre for illegal migrants".

The United States said in April its strikes since March 15 had hit more than 1,000 targets in Yemen and killed "hundreds of Huthi fighters".

On Friday, the Huthi-run Saba news agency said three people were wounded in a US air strike the previous night in Al Wahda district, citing a preliminary toll.

burs-sco/saa/dv/ser