In a first, Houthi missile reaches central Israel, no injuries reported

PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would inflict a “heavy price” on the Iran-aligned Houthis, who control northern Yemen, after they reached central Israel with a missile on Sunday for the first time.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group struck with a new hypersonic ballistic missile that travelled 2,040 km (1270 miles) in just 11.5 minutes.

After initially saying the missile had fallen in an open area, Israel’s military later said it had probably fragmented in the air, and that pieces of interceptors had landed in fields and near a railway station. Nobody was reported hurt.

Air raid sirens had sounded in Tel Aviv and across central Israel moments before the impact at around 6.35 am local time (0335 GMT), sending residents running for shelter. Loud booms were heard.

“Whoever needs a reminder of that is invited to visit the Hodeida port,” Netanyahu said, referring to an Israeli retaliatory air strike against Yemen in July for a Houthi drone that hit Tel Aviv.