Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired a ballistic missile at southern Israel on Saturday, the first such attack since last year’s ceasefire.
The strike triggered air-raid sirens across Beersheba and nearby towns in the early hours, sending residents scrambling for shelter.
Israeli air-defence systems quickly intercepted the projectile, and officials reported no damage or casualties.
Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree claimed responsibility hours later on the group’s Al-Masirah television channel.
He said the rebels had launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at “sensitive Israeli military sites” in the south as an act of solidarity with Iran and its allies.
The move comes just a day after Saree warned that the Houthis were ready for “direct military intervention” if the United States or Israel drew in new allies against Iran or tightened the blockade on Yemen.
He also demanded an immediate halt to strikes on Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iraq.
Until now, the Houthis had largely held back from direct attacks on Israel following a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.
Their earlier campaign, launched in solidarity with Palestinians after the October 2023 Hamas assault, had included repeated missile and drone strikes as well as attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Security analysts say Saturday’s strike raises fresh fears of a wider regional war.
Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon and Iraq have already joined the fighting that erupted after US and Israeli action against Tehran last month.
The Houthis’ return to the fray could once again disrupt vital shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula.
For now, Israel has not announced any immediate retaliation, but officials are treating the incident as a serious escalation.
Residents in southern Israel spent the morning on edge as sirens echoed for the third time overnight.
