Israel army says intercepted drone launched from Yemen

JERUSALEM - Israel's military said it intercepted a drone launched from Yemen on Thursday, after sirens sounded in communities near the Gaza Strip.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the drone, but Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel since their Palestinian ally Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

"Following the hostile aircraft infiltration sirens that sounded a short while ago in the communities near the Gaza Strip, a UAV launched from Yemen was successfully intercepted by the (Israeli air force)," a military statement said.

On Wednesday too, the Israeli military said it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen. It was later claimed by the Huthi rebels.

The Huthis, who say they are acting in support of the Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that ended in March, but renewed them after Israel resumed major operations.

Israel has carried out multiple retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting Huthi-held ports and the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

On Sunday, Israeli strikes in Sanaa killed 10 people and wounded more than 90, the spokesman of the Huthi-run health ministry, Anees Alasbahi, said.

The Israeli army said it had hit a military compound near the presidential palace, two power stations and a fuel depot "in response" to Huthi attacks.