Houthis claim missile attack on Israel

Israeli authorities said the rocket was intercepted before entering its territory.

In a televised statement, Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group had fired a “supersonic ballistic missile” at a military target in Tel Aviv, and said military operations would continue until Israel ends its war in Gaza and the siege is lifted.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its air defense system successfully intercepted the missile before it reached Israeli territory. Accordingly, sirens were sounded across the central part of the country, possibly due to shrapnel from the interception. Magen David Adom - Israel's emergency services, said it had to treat at least nine injured people on the way to shelters.

In another development on the same day, Lebanese state media accused Israel of violating the ceasefire with Hezbollah by conducting an airstrike on the Baalbek area in eastern Lebanon.

An unnamed Lebanese security source said the air strike targeted “warehouses believed to belong to Hezbollah”. The air strike near the town of Tarya caused no casualties.

The Israeli military has not yet made any statement about the attack. Earlier, on December 23, the Israeli military announced that it would continue "defensive operations" in southern Lebanon "in accordance with the agreement".

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on November 27. Under the ceasefire, Lebanese troops and peacekeepers will be deployed in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period, which is scheduled to expire in January 2025.