Hypersonic Palestine-2 Missile & Drone Offensive
Yemen’s Houthi Ansar Allah movement also indicated responsibility for firing three missiles at Israeli cities, including what they called a Palestine-2 “hypersonic” ballistic missile toward Tel Aviv. The missile “evaded interception systems,” causing widespread panic and compelling citizens to seek shelter, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said. He also stated that operations at Ben Gurion Airport came to a standstill during the mayhem.
The coalition also asserted two drones were used against military and other targets in Tel Aviv and Ashkelon. Flight systems indicated aircraft encountering landing disruptions at the airport, and Israel’s Channel 12 confirmed operations were temporarily halted. Saree celebrated the attack as a psychological success, claiming it brought daily life in Israel to a standstill.
A Broader Campaign in Solidarity with Gaza
This attack is part of a broader trend of Houthi participation in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Since March 2025, the organization has fired dozens of drones and missiles towards Israel, the majority of which have been shot down or short-failed their destinations. In May 2025, a missile attack close to Ben Gurion Airport yielded a large crater and hurt eight individuals when Israel’s defense mechanisms collapsed to deflect it. And in July 2024, a Houthi drone struck a Tel Aviv residential high-rise, killing one and injuring ten, their initial successful attack with defense systems unable to respond.
Hydrogen of Iranian Support & Advanced Weapons
The Palestine-2 missile is a two-stage solid-fuel ballistic missile, allegedly up to Mach 16 and precision-guided. While the Houthis attest that it is domestically manufactured, observers find remarkable similarity with Iran’s Fattah missile, inferring Iranian assistance in design as well as supplies. The Houthis have used Iranian support to increase their strike capacity since the Red Sea crisis in late 2023, targeting not only Israel but also Western-aligned shipping routes.
Israeli air defenses were said to be overwhelmed or avoided in the most recent attack, which triggered emergency sirens and short-lived cancellation of flights at Ben Gurion Airport. Regional volatility has increased as a result of these attacks, especially following current conflict in Gaza. Israel has hit Houthi infrastructure in Yemen repeatedly in retaliation, including energy and port infrastructure close to Sanaa and Hodeidah. The series of strikes and counter-strikes highlights how a local group in Yemen can single-handedly raise tensions throughout the Middle East.
