Missiles, Rockets Fired at Israel from Yemen, Gaza as Ground Fighting Against Hamas Escalates

Missiles, Rockets Fired at Israel from Yemen, Gaza as Ground Fighting Against Hamas Escalates

The Israeli armed forces are expanding the ground operation in Gaza as Israel on Thursday came under increased missile and rocket attacks from Gaza-based Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis — both Iran-backed terrorist groups.

Israeli air defenses systems on Thursday morning intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis. “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory,” the Israeli military said in a statement Thursday morning.

The Houthi ballistic missile, likely aimed at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport, triggered air raid sirens across central Israel. “Yemen’s rebel Houthi group has said it has fired a missile at Israel, which was intercepted,” the BBC reported. “The ballistic missile was fired toward Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, the group’s military spokesperson said in a televised statement.”

Red Alert issued for the Tel Aviv area due to a possible rocket launch against the surrounding area. I suspect a ballistic missile from Yemen. pic.twitter.com/z7XpKKuGfM

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 20, 2025

The Israeli news website YNET reported the Houthi missile attack:

Air raid sirens blared across central Israel early Thursday as a missile attack from Yemen targeted multiple cities, including Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion and Ramat Gan, as well as parts of Jerusalem and the Sharon region.

The pre-dawn strike, part of ongoing regional tensions, sent residents scrambling for shelter.

The IDF said the missile was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force before entering Israeli airspace, and sirens were activated according to protocol.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the ballistic missile launch from Yemen, and announced that they had fired a ‘Palestine 2’ hypersonic ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said that “the target was achieved,” and that the firing was carried out in response to “the massacres against our brothers in the Gaza Strip.”

Magen David Adom reported that 13 people sustained injuries while rushing to shelters, and three others suffered from shock. No additional casualties were reported.

Several flights en route to Ben Gurion Airport, including an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and an El Al flight from London, were briefly diverted but have since been cleared to land.

This was the second Houthi missile attack on Israel in two days. On Tuesday, a missile—allegedly a hypersonic Palestine 2 ballistic missile—was launched toward Be’er Sheva but intercepted over Saudi Arabia by the Arrow air defense system.

The Houthi missile attack was followed by rocket fire from Hamas-infested Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully intercepted the incoming rockets. “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in the areas of Gush Dan and HaShfela, three projectiles were identified crossing from southern Gaza into Israeli territory, ” the IDF said in a statement. The Israeli Air Force “successfully intercepted one projectile and two additional projectiles fell in an open area,” the statement confirmed.

Update: Israel Intercepts another Houthi missile

Israel on Thursday evening intercepted another ballistic missile fired by Houthis from Yemen.

“A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military says,” The Times of Israel reported. “There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage in the attack. The IDF says the missile was shot down before crossing the country’s borders.”

IDF intensifies ground operation, set to create a buffer zone between north and south Gaza

After Hamas repeatedly violated the ceasefire, the IDF resumed the military operation against the terrorist group in Gaza. After conducting airstrikes aimed at eliminating senior Hamas terrorists, the Israeli military is carrying out a large-scale ground operation across the terrorist-infested enclave.

IDF troops began targeted ground activities in central and southern Gaza, over the past day, in order to expand the security zone and to create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza. As part of the ground activities, the troops expanded their control further to… pic.twitter.com/TI4068LAJd

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 19, 2025

The IDF is moving troops on the ground to extend the existing security zone and create a buffer zone dividing northern and southern Gaza. “Over the past day, IDF troops began targeted ground activities in the central and southern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone and to create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza. As part of the ground activities, the troops expanded their control further to the center of the Netzarim Corridor,” the Israeli military disclosed in a press release Wednesday. “Simultaneously, it was decided that the Golani Brigade would be stationed in the Southern Command area and will remain ready for operations in the Gaza Strip.”

The military has issued new evacuation orders, urging Gaza residents to move to safe zones as it dismantles Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure.

The IDF issues an evacuation warning to Palestinians in the Bani Suheila area of the southern Gaza Strip, following Hamas's rocket fire on central Israel.

In a post on X, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, publishes a map of the area that is to be… pic.twitter.com/kNej7oa0pj

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 20, 2025

The Jerusalem Post reported:

The IDF announced on Thursday that it has intensified its ground invasion, sending in land forces, including a mix of infantry, tanks, and artillery from Brigade 188 into the Beit Lahiya and coastal areas of northern Gaza.

In the afternoon, the IDF warned the Bnai Suheila portion of Khan Yunis to completely evacuate in light of an impending invasion of ground forces.

Earlier in the week on Tuesday, the IDF had issued an initial warning to leave a variety of areas near the Israel-Gaza border, one of which was Bnai Suheila.

The announcement makes the invasion of Gaza more of a major change in the reality on the ground, following the more modest initial announcement on Wednesday that IDF tanks had entered the Netzarim Corridor of central Gaza.

Moving only tanks and limited infantry into the Netzarim Corridor was significant in that it started to cut off the northern and southern parts of Gaza and enable a future larger invasion.

But the IDF’s latest move of moving larger amounts of ground forces into populated areas of northern Gaza is a significant escalation in terms of the status of what is now a developing invasion.

Also, the IDF clarified that over the course of Wednesday, Golani Brigade forces would be stationed in the southern sector and would remain on standby to carry out operations within Gaza.

BREAKING: It's official: The IDF's ground entry into the Gaza Strip has begun, with the powerful 188th Armored Brigade leading the way.

Pray for our heroes' success. pic.twitter.com/vs53KNezOi

— Vivid. (@VividProwess) March 20, 2025

The IDF, backed by Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, eliminated Rashid Jahjuh, who headed Hamas’s opressive security apparatus in Gaza.

“The IDF and Shin Bet killed Rashid Jahjuh, the head of Hamas’ General Security Apparatus in Gaza, the military said Thursday. Jahjuh had replaced Sami Ouda, who was killed by Israel in July 2024 along with Ruhi Mushtaha, Hamas’ head of government in Gaza,” the YNET reported.

ELIMINATED: Rashid Jahjuh, the Head of Hamas' General Security Forces and Ayman Atsalih, the Head of the Khan Yunis sector within Hamas' General Security Forces.

This unit was responsible for exposing "collaborators", safeguarding senior Hamas members and assets within Gaza… pic.twitter.com/iDib1LUd5T

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 20, 2025

The IDF was targeting Hamas’s leadership and its ability to carry out terrorist operations against Israel. “This comes amid the ongoing airstrikes against terrorists, including rocket-launching areas and terrorist infrastructure. The Daraj Tuffah battalion of the Hamas terrorist organization was targeted after it had planned attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers,” the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported Thursday. “Several senior Hamas commanders have been killed since the army restarted operations, including both military and governmental officials.”

Last week, Hamas rejected a ceasefire proposal presented by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The terrorist group still holds 24 living hostages and the remains of 35 others murdered since October 7, 2023.

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