The IDF said early Saturday that its air defenses intercepted a missile fired from Yemen after warning sirens sounded across central Israel.
In an initial statement, the IDF reported detecting the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory and said air defense systems were activated to counter the threat. Authorities urged the public to follow Home Front Command safety instructions.
Shortly afterward, the IDF confirmed the projectile had been intercepted and that sirens had sounded in accordance with protocol. The military said further details were under review.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The overnight launch came after the IDF revealed that the Air Force had intercepted no fewer than 10 drones fired from Yemen over the past week, which began with a rare strike on Ramon Airport that forced a two-hour shutdown.
On Sunday, a Houthi drone hit the passenger terminal at Ramon Airport, near Eilat, causing damage. Two airport employees were lightly injured — a 63-year-old man by shrapnel and a 52-year-old woman who fell — while several others were treated for shock. Prior to the strike, the Air Force intercepted three drones from Yemen after sirens sounded in communities near the Egyptian border.
A preliminary Air Force investigation found that the drone that exploded had been detected by defense systems but was not classified as hostile, which meant interception and warning systems were not activated.
Despite the failure to intercept the drone that struck the airport, the IDF said the others were downed “as part of cooperation between Air Force units that closed the circle on the drones. The Air Force will continue working to remove any aerial threat over Israel and to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”