Millions of Israelis were awakened by air sirens at 3:45 in the morning yesterday when a ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen crashed into a playground in south Tel Aviv.
Footage of the attack showed multiple Israeli interceptors launched toward the incoming missile, but they failed to shoot it down.
Sixteen people were injured by shattered glass, including a three-year-old girl. It was the second ballistic missile attack by the Houthis against Israel in as many days.
The IDF is investigating the incident and why the interceptions failed. "Some of the conclusions have already been implemented, both regarding the interception and early warning," the military said.
The Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past year.
The Israeli Air Force struck multiple Houthi targets in Yemen on Thursday, and last night, the U.S. military struck a Houthi missile storage center and a command-and-control facility in Yemen's capital "to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks on U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels."
U.S. forces also shot down multiple Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea.
"Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arms of Iran’s evil axis, so we will act against the Houthis," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, indicating the IDF is prepared to intensify its counter-terrorism campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen.
"The U.S., and also other countries like us, see the Houthis as a threat not only to world shipping — but also to world order," he said.
The United States must continue to act to defend against Houthi attacks. America must lead the effort to interdict the flow of arms and money from Iran to the Houthis and the group must be redesignated as a foreign terrorist organization.
WSJ interviews PM Netanyahu: 'The Inside Story of Israel’s Victory'
In a wide-ranging interview with The Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Netanyahu details the key decision points in the war against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
The prime minister discusses the Hamas massacre on October 7, Hezbollah's entry into the war on October 8, and Israel's ensuing campaigns to destroy Iran's terror proxies.
Iran “spent probably $30 billion in Syria, another $20 billion in Lebanon, God knows how much on Hamas. And it’s all gone down the tubes,” Netanyahu said. “They have no supply line. We warned Assad not to let Iran supply Hezbollah with weapons through Syria. He played dumb.”
On Gaza, the prime minister reiterated that Israel will not agree to end the war before Hamas is removed. "We’re not going to leave them in power in Gaza, 30 miles from Tel Aviv. It’s not going to happen.”
As negotiations continue over a hostage-ceasefire deal, Hamas is reportedly demanding the release of arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences for his part in planning three terror attacks in which five Israelis were murdered during the Second Intifada. “The terrorist Marwan Barghouti will not be released if and when a deal is made to release the hostages,” Netanyahu said.
IDF begins major cleanup operation in northern communities after 14 months of Hezbollah attacks
The Israeli military has launched an extensive operation in the north to clear and clean communities ravaged by over a year of Hezbollah terrorism.
“The operation involves engineering teams and additional forces deployed in over 40 communities in northern Israel,” according to the IDF. “The forces are clearing military equipment, cleaning waste, and removing unexploded ordnance” from the communities.
More than 60,000 Israelis were displaced from their homes in the north after Iran's terror army in Lebanon began launching hundreds of rockets every day into Israel on October 8, 2023.
Israel continues to surge humanitarian aid to Gaza
Over the past week, 1,025 humanitarian aid trucks carrying food, water, medical supplies, and shelter equipment were brought into the Gaza Strip, according to the latest data from the IDF.
Despite outrageous claims by U.N. officials and some members of Congress that Israel is starving Gazans or withholding aid, the IDF has continued to transfer and facilitate humanitarian supplies into the Strip.
🎥 WATCH: AIPAC Conversation with Former Hostage Aviva Siegel
On October 7, Hamas brutally ripped Aviva and Keith Siegel from their home and kidnapped them to Gaza.
After fighting to survive for 51 days, Aviva was freed in a hostage deal.
Now, she's fighting to free her husband of 43 years and the other 100 hostages still held captive by barbaric Hamas terrorists. Keith is one of seven Americans still in Hamas captivity.
We were honored to host Aviva at AIPAC last week, where she shared her story of remarkable courage and resilience. Watch and share the conversation here:
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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