IDF intercepts Houthi missile along with two drones

IDF identified the launch of a missile from Yemen, with alerts expected to sound in the coming minutes, the military said.

 Footage released by Houthi Military Media says to show a launch of missile, which the Houthis say they fired at Israel, at an unknown location in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released on December 19, 2024.
Footage released by Houthi Military Media says to show a launch of missile, which the Houthis say they fired at Israel, at an unknown location in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released on December 19, 2024.
(photo credit: HOUTHI MILITARY MEDIA/via REUTERS)
The IDF intercepted a Houthi missile launched from Yemen on Thursday, with sirens triggered across central Israel.

No casualties or injuries were reported after the sirens sounded. Magen David Adom responded to cases of panic attacks and injuries sustained by people rushing to the shelters.

The Israel Air Force also intercepted two unmanned drones launched from Yemen on Thursday evening, according to an IDF Spokesperson’s statement.

“Earlier this evening, the Air Force intercepted another drone that had been launched from Yemen in recent hours,” the statement said, adding that no alerts were activated during the incident.

The IDF confirmed that it is investigating the crash site of one of the drones in the Eilat area earlier Thursday evening.

This is the third attack from Yemen in the past day. A Houthi drone crashed into an Eilat hotel earlier, and the IDF intercepted a second drone from the Houthis shortly after.

IDF intercepts Houthi missile two days earlier 

On Tuesday, the IDF intercepted a Houthi missile after alarms were triggered across central Israel. 

The attack came after a series of strikes on Hodeidah Port, with Houthi-linked media stating that at least 12 strikes were recorded.

The IDF said that the attack aims to enforce a maritime blockade on the Houthis and prevent the smuggling of weapons to the terror organization.


Senior Hamas official: Now is not the time to negotiate end of war

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim claimed in an interview with Qatar’s Al-Arabi channel that now is not the time to initiate negotiations to end the war in Gaza and that currently “there are no contacts with the Hamas leadership.”

According to Naim, “Israel’s policy of threatening continued fighting and ongoing targeted killings disrupts any possibility for talks and agreements.”


IDF strikes at least six Hezbollah weapon depots in southern Lebanon

This comes as an evacuation order has been set for three areas in southern Lebanon amid an upcoming strike from the IDF.

 Smokes rise, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Tyre, southern Lebanon September 23, 2024.
Smokes rise, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Tyre, southern Lebanon September 23, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER)
The IDF struck at least six Hezbollah weapons storage facilities belonging to its Radwan Force in southern Lebanon on Thursday, it said.

The Radwan Force planned and advanced the “Conquer the Galilee” plan for years, the IDF said. Commanders of the unit were killed last September in Beirut during Operation Northern Arrows.

The Radwan Force has been operating ever since to reestablish its capabilities. The IDF has been operating for the past two years to prevent the terror group from doing so.

An evacuation order was issued for three areas in southern Lebanon ahead of the strikes, Mays al-Jabal, ️Kafr Tebnit, and Dibbine, said the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Avichay Adraee.

“You are located in buildings used by the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” the evacuation order said. “For your safety, you are required to evacuate those buildings and the adjacent buildings immediately and stay away from them for a distance of at least 500 meters.”

Hezbollah targets located within Lebanese villages 

Several videos that were shared online showed how the buildings were not properly marked for military use, with many resembling civilian buildings. Secondary explosions after the attacks confirmed the presence of weapons inside the compounds.

The IDF also issued another series of evacuation orders for the Tair Zebna and Borj Qalaouiye areas of Lebanon, and airstrikes in those towns were expected.