Yemen's Houthis claim drone attacks at Israel's Tel Aviv

Sanaa, April 12 (IANS) Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement that it launched fresh drone attacks at the city of Tel Aviv in central Israel.

"Our Air Force carried out a qualitative military operation against two Israeli military targets in Tel Aviv, using two drones," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Friday.

The spokesperson indicated that the attacks were carried out in support of the Palestinian people, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We affirm that confronting the ongoing American aggression against our country will not prevent us from continuing to fulfill our duty towards Gaza," Sarea added.

Israel's Channel 12 News reported that a Yemeni drone was intercepted near the Dead Sea within the Jordanian airspace before it could reach Israel.

The Jordanian army confirmed later on Friday evening that an unidentified drone entered Jordanian airspace and crashed in the Ma'in area of Madaba governorate, near the Dead Sea, and no casualties were reported.

Even since Israel renewed its intensive strikes in March across the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have been launching frequent attacks against Israeli and US targets.

Earlier in the day, the Houthi military spokesperson claimed fresh attacks against the US aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman, and other US warships in the northern Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command said in a post on social media platform X that the strike group of the aircraft carrier "continues non-stop 24/7 operations against the Houthis despite the Houthis' outlandish claims."

According to Houthi media outlets, the total number of US airstrikes on northern Yemen since early Friday morning has increased to 30.

The US airstrikes targeted several locations in eastern and southern the capital Sanaa, the adjacent oil-rich province of Marib, and the western province of Hodeidah.

In Sanaa, residents heard the loud sound of fighter jets flying over before and after they struck locations on the Mount Nuqum and Bani Hashish districts, both on the eastern outskirts of Sanaa. Also, the airstrikes hit locations in the Sanhan district, on the southern outskirts of the capital.

There are no warning siren systems in Yemen to alert residents in advance of any possible air attacks.

"All that we hear is the sound of speeding missile less than a second before it hit and exploded, then we hear the sound of fighter jets in full throttle," a Sanaa resident Mohamed told Xinhua.

On March 15, the US military resumed airstrikes against Houthi targets to deter the group from launching attacks against Israel and US warships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, said they would stop launching attacks if Israel stops its war on Gaza and allows the entry of essential food and medicine into the strip.

--IANS

int/rs