Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels said they launched a Zulfiqar ballistic missile and four drones toward Israel overnight, claiming direct hits on Ben Gurion International Airport, the southern port of Eilat and a military site in the Negev desert. In a televised statement late on 16 July, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strike temporarily halted flights at Ben Gurion and signalled that additional attacks would follow unless Israel ends its war in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces reported that its air-defence system intercepted a missile fired from Yemen after warning sirens sounded across parts of southern Israel. The military did not confirm drone activity and said no injuries or damage were recorded. The exchange marks one of the Houthis’ deepest-reaching attacks since they began firing at Israel in late 2023. Israel has previously responded with airstrikes on Houthi positions, including a raid this month on the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. Persistent Houthi missile and drone activity threatens to widen the regional conflict and further disrupt Red Sea shipping lanes, which the group has already targeted in what it says is retaliation for Israel’s campaign in Gaza.