Two women injured during scramble to shelters after missile sirens sound across central Israel
Israel’s air defence forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Tuesday night, triggering air raid sirens across central Israel and the Jerusalem area. The interception came just a week after a Houthi strike hit near Ben Gurion Airport, prompting major international flight suspensions and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Yemen.
The missile, launched during the evening hours, prompted sirens in cities including Holon and Ramat Gan. A 40-year-old woman was hospitalised with lower-body injuries after falling while running to a shelter in Holon. In Ramat Gan, a 65-year-old woman suffered a minor head injury in a similar scramble for cover. Emergency medical services rushed both women to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Residents had received an early warning push alert just before the sirens blared, giving them precious seconds to seek shelter. According to Israeli defence officials, another missile launched from Yemen later that night fell short of Israeli territory and did not trigger an alert, as it posed no threat.
This marked the latest in a wave of escalating attacks from the Houthis, who resumed hostilities against Israel in March after a brief ceasefire following the January truce with Hamas. The Israeli military reports that since March 18, the Houthis have launched at least 31 ballistic missiles and over 10 drones towards Israel, many of which were intercepted or fell short.
The increased aggression from Yemen comes after Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Houthi infrastructure, including a destructive raid that damaged Yemen’s capital airport in Sanaa, power stations, a cement plant, and a port in Hodeida. The IDF also issued urgent evacuation warnings on Sunday for three ports controlled by the Houthis, but no follow-up strikes were confirmed.
The missile barrage has disrupted daily life across Israel. Sirens, often sounding in the dead of night, have sent hundreds of thousands of residents racing to fortified rooms and shelters.
Meanwhile, Hungary-based Wizz Air announced it would resume flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on May 15. The carrier had suspended operations after a missile struck near the airport on May 4, a strike that spurred the initial wave of international flight cancellations.
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have openly vowed hostility towards Israel and the US. Since November 2023, shortly after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, the group has persistently targeted Israeli territory and international maritime routes in the Red Sea. Their campaign includes over 40 ballistic missile launches and numerous drone assaults.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in July 2024, when a missile fired from Yemen struck Tel Aviv, killing a civilian and wounding several others. That attack marked a turning point, leading to Israel’s first official military strike on Houthi positions in Yemen.
As threats from multiple fronts escalate, the Israeli government and military continue to reinforce air defence systems and urge civilians to remain alert. Despite increasing regional tensions, Israeli officials have reiterated their intent to respond decisively to any attacks on civilian infrastructure or population centres.
