Sirens sound across Israel after Houthi drone, missile attacks: Israeli army

CAIRO – 22 August 2025: The Israeli army reported on Friday that a ballistic missile and a drone were launched from Yemen, triggering sirens across the country.

The Houthis, who have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel since the outbreak of the Israeli war in Gaza in 2023, have not claimed responsibility as of the time of writing.

According to a preliminary investigation, the Israeli army stated that a ballistic missile launched toward Israel appeared to disintegrate midair during its descent.

The army said several interception attempts were made by air defense systems. Debris reportedly fell in central Israel, and the incident remains under investigation.

The army reported earlier on the day that air defenses were also activated in response to a drone launched toward central Israel, with a review underway to assess the outcome of the interceptions.

The Houthis have resumed attacks on Israeli territory and Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea since Israel broke a ceasefire in Gaza on 18 March.

Israeli forces have killed more than 10,000 people in Gaza since then, according to local health authorities.

The Houthis have repeatedly stated that their attacks are acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people and a response to Israel’s "crimes of genocide and starvation."

Earlier this week, the Israeli army announced that it had struck energy infrastructure in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, about 2,000 kilometers from Israel, in retaliation for repeated Houthi attacks on Israeli territory.

The Israeli attack came a few days after the Houthis announced they had launched six drones targeting four "vital sites" in Israel, specifically in Haifa, the Negev, Umm Al-Rashrash (Eilat), and Beersheba, asserting that the operations “successfully achieved their objectives.”

Two days later, the group reported launching a ballistic missile toward Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli army said the missile was intercepted far from Israeli territory.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Israeli strikes have killed more than 62,000 people, according to local health authorities.

More than 270 people, including 112 children, have also died of starvation amid severe aid restrictions by Israel and a nearly three-month full blockade earlier this year.