A missile fired by Houthi rebels targets central Israel as airstrikes hit displaced area in Gaza

JERUSALEM (news agencies) — A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted central Israel early Tuesday, causing sirens to blare and people to flee into bomb shelters. Several Israeli strikes also hit the Gaza Strip overnight and early on Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to a phased ceasefire agreement

The Israeli military said it made several attempts to intercept a missile launched from Yemen and “the missile was likely intercepted.” The Magen David Adom emergency service in Israel said there were no injuries from the missile or falling debris, but some people suffered injuries when running to shelters.

Israel’s military also said an earlier missile was intercepted before it entered Israeli territory.

Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014, have launched direct attacks on Israel and some 100 commercial ships as part of their campaign over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The rebels did not immediately acknowledge the attack, though it can take hours or even days for them to claim an assault.

In central Gaza, at least six people — two women and their four children aged between 1 month and 9 years old — were killed by Israeli strikes that hit an area in Deir al Balah where displaced people live in tents. One woman — the mother of two of the boys killed — was pregnant. The other woman was killed together with her daughter and son.

The information was confirmed by Al Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al Balah, which received the bodies.