Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Houthi armed group in Yemen, announced on Tuesday that the group launched a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile carrying cluster munitions at "several sensitive targets" in Tel Aviv.
The alleged attack triggered air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and other cities and residential areas in central Israel on Tuesday morning.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later announced they successfully intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, but did not confirm whether the missile carried cluster munitions. Israeli officials reported no casualties or damage.
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A Houthi Palestine-2 missile on a launchpad in 9/2024. Photo: Al Mayadeen |
A Houthi Palestine-2 missile on a launchpad in 9/2024. Photo: Al Mayadeen
According to Houthi media, the Palestine-2 hypersonic missile can reach a maximum speed of Mach 16, or 16 times the speed of sound, equivalent to 19,755 km/h. The two-stage, solid-fuel missile reportedly has a range of 2,150 km.
The IDF has repeatedly dismissed the Houthi's claim of possessing hypersonic missiles, asserting that the Palestine-2 is a conventional medium-range ballistic missile.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in 10/2023, the Houthis have frequently launched missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Israeli territory in a show of solidarity with Hamas. Most Houthi attacks have been intercepted, but some ballistic missiles and UAVs have penetrated Israel's multi-layered air defenses, causing damage on the ground.
The Israeli military has retaliated with several strikes, mainly targeting infrastructure in Yemen, including ports, power plants, and the international airport in Sanaa. An August 28 attack on the Yemeni capital killed 12 senior Houthi political officials, including Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, the head of the Houthi administration in Sanaa.
Hong Hanh (Israel Times, Anadolu Agency)