Yemen’s Houthis Claim Hypersonic Missile Strike on Israel, Prompting Israeli Retaliation Against Sanaa Power Plant
Executive Summary
The Yemeni Armed Forces (Houthis) claimed responsibility for launching a hypersonic “Palestine 2” ballistic missile at Israel’s Lod Airport, saying the attack was carried out in solidarity with Gaza. Israel responded by striking Houthi-controlled infrastructure near Sanaa, targeting a power plant and reportedly Houthi leaders inside. The escalation underscores the Houthis’ expanding role in the Israel–Iran conflict and Israel’s willingness to strike deep inside Yemen to deter future attacks.
Key Judgments
The Houthis’ claimed use of a “hypersonic” missile marks a potential escalation in capability and messaging, even if the technical validity of the claim remains unverified.
Evidence: The Yemeni Armed Forces’ statement identified the missile as the “Palestine 2,” boasting of successful disruption at Lod Airport. Israel has previously intercepted Houthi projectiles, but this is the first mention of hypersonic weaponry.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes on a Sanaa power station highlight its strategy of directly targeting Houthi leadership and infrastructure far from its borders.
Evidence: The IDF confirmed it hit the Haiz power plant in response to repeated missile and drone attacks, with local reports suggesting Houthi leaders were inside during the strike.
The Houthis’ operations reinforce their alignment with Iran and Hamas, increasing the risk of a wider regional war involving Israel, Tehran, and potentially Western powers.
Evidence: Since October 2023, the Houthis have attacked Israel and international shipping in declared support of Hamas and Gaza, with Israel accusing Tehran of supplying advanced weaponry. Recent U.S. seizures of Iranian shipments to the Houthis validate these concerns.
Analysis
The Houthis’ announcement of a hypersonic missile strike on Israel represents both an escalation in rhetoric and a symbolic demonstration of capability, regardless of whether the weapon actually qualifies as hypersonic by conventional definitions. By naming the missile “Palestine 2” and linking the attack to solidarity with Gaza, the group underscores its positioning as part of the Iranian-led “axis of resistance.” This attack also follows months of intermittent missile and drone launches against Israel and Israeli-affiliated shipping lanes.
Israel’s response was swift and targeted, striking a Sanaa power plant and claiming Houthi leaders were present at the time. The strike signals Israel’s readiness to project power across more than 1,000 miles, pursuing Houthi targets even in heavily populated areas. It also reflects Jerusalem’s view that the Houthis are not a peripheral irritant but a strategic extension of Iranian influence. By striking infrastructure essential to Yemen’s capital, Israel appears to be raising the cost of Houthi operations while attempting to disrupt command-and-control networks.
This tit-for-tat dynamic risks further destabilizing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. The Houthis have already sunk commercial ships, taken hostages, and disrupted trade routes critical to global commerce. Their growing alignment with Iran’s regional agenda raises the possibility of more sophisticated and destructive attacks, especially if Iranian-supplied advanced missile systems are integrated into Houthi arsenals.
