TEL AVIV, Israel — A rocket launched from Yemen struck an area near Tel Aviv late Friday night, resulting in injuries to 16 individuals due to flying glass, as reported by Israeli military sources on Saturday. This incident occurred just days after Israel conducted airstrikes against Houthi rebels who have been firing missiles in a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Another 14 people received minor injuries while they sought shelter when air raid sirens alerted them before dawn on Saturday, the military reported.
The Houthis announced via a Telegram message that they targeted a military installation, though the specifics of the target were not disclosed. A resident of the affected area, Bar Katz, described the scene, stating, “There was a flash of light, a blow and we fell to the ground. There was a big mess, with broken glass everywhere.”
This rocket attack followed Israeli airstrikes on Thursday in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hodeida, where at least nine fatalities were recorded. The Israeli military action was a response to a Houthi missile that had struck an Israeli school building. Additionally, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a military site in central Israel on the same day.
According to the Israeli military, the Iran-aligned Houthis have launched over 200 missiles and drones since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The rebels have also targeted shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, vowing to continue their attacks until a ceasefire is established in Gaza.
Reports indicate that the Israeli airstrikes resulted in “considerable damage” to the Houthi-controlled ports in the Red Sea, which will likely lead to a significant reduction in their operational capacity, according to U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. The Hodeida port has been crucial for food deliveries to Yemen throughout the long-standing civil conflict.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern that the violent encounters between the two sides could further intensify tensions in the region.
In Gaza, residents mourned the loss of 19 individuals, including 12 children, as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Friday and in the early hours of Saturday. Among the casualties, a residential building in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp was hit, resulting in the deaths of seven Palestinians, including five children and a woman, with 16 others injured, as reported by health officials. A separate airstrike in Gaza City killed another 12 individuals, comprising seven children and two women, according to Al-Ahli Hospital.
In total, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 21 individuals lost their lives in just 24 hours. Since the escalation of violence began in October 2023, over 45,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. The ministry has indicated that the majority of these fatalities are women and children, though it does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Israel has faced substantial international backlash over the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza, asserting that its military actions are aimed exclusively at militants while blaming Hamas for the deaths of non-combatants due to their operations in residential regions.
The Health Ministry in Gaza has made an urgent plea for medical supplies and food to be sent to Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, located in northern Gaza, which is largely cut off from aid. The hospital’s director described the current conditions as dire, with ongoing gunfire and Israeli shelling in the vicinity. Reports state that shells have impacted the hospital’s upper floors and entrances, heightening fear among patients and staff.
Dr. Husam Abu Safiyeh, the hospital’s director, mentioned severe shortages and noted that requests for vital medical resources, along with support for oxygen, water, and electricity systems, have largely gone unanswered. He indicated that 72 injured individuals are currently receiving treatment at the facility, while adding, “Food is in short supply, and we cannot provide meals for the wounded. We urgently call on anyone who can provide supplies to assist us.”
Aid organizations have indicated that Israeli military operations and armed groups have impeded their efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance.
In an unrelated incident in Syria, the Iranian government reported on Saturday that unidentified gunmen had shot and killed a local staff member of the Iranian embassy. According to the official IRNA news agency, spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that “terrorists” attacked Davood Bitaraf’s vehicle the previous Sunday without detailing his role at the embassy. Baghaei stressed that Iran holds Syria’s interim government accountable for ensuring the offenders are found and prosecuted. Iran has historically been a significant supporter of the regime led by the recently ousted Bashar Assad.
