Israel Shoots Down Ballistic Missile Heading Towards Eilat

Jerusalem, 22 February, 2024 (TPS) -- Israel’s Arrow defense system intercepted a missile over the Red Sea heading in the direction of Eilat on Thursday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The IDF said the missile did not cross into Israeli territory and did not pose a threat. Nevertheless, sirens were sounded in Eilat according to policy, the military added.

Since October 7, Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have launched numerous missiles and drones at Israel. All have either missed their targets or were shot down by Israeli, US, or Saudi forces.

The Arrow-3 system is designed to intercept ballistic missiles in space. The system made its first operational interception when it shot down a Houthi ballistic missile in November. That interception is widely believed to have taken place outside the earth’s atmosphere, which would make Israel the first country to shoot down a rocket in space. But Israel has not confirmed that detail.

The Houthis vowed in early December to target any Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea, regardless of its ownership. They have attacked or harassed numerous ships and hijacked the MV Galaxy Leader in November. The cargo ship and its crew of 25 are being held hostage in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.

From bases along the Yemeni coast, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened ships in the Red Sea as they traverse the Bab el-Mandeb Straits, a narrow maritime chokepoint between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The majority of the world’s oil passes through the strait from the Indian Ocean towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

In response, the US is leading Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational coalition of naval forces protecting shipping in the Red Sea.