A ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels was shot down after triggering sirens in Tel Aviv and other communities across central Israel in the early hours of Saturday.

The Israel Defense Forces said air defenses successfully downed the missile, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from debris from the interception.

The Houthis took responsibility for the attack, claiming to have targeted “several sensitive targets” in Tel Aviv using a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead.

There was no comment from the IDF on the claim that the projectile was fitted with a cluster bomb warhead.

The Iran-backed Houthis have fired several missiles with cluster bomb warheads at Israel in recent weeks.

The attack triggered sirens at around 3:45 a.m. in Tel Aviv and a large number of towns and communities in central Israel.

The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas massacre.

The Houthis held their fire when a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. By that point, they had fired over 40 ballistic missiles and dozens of attack drones and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that killed a civilian and wounded several others in Tel Aviv in July 2024, prompting Israel’s first strike in Yemen.

Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 83 ballistic missiles and at least 36 drones at Israel. Several of the rockets have fallen short.

In response, Israel has attacked the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, located some 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) away, 17 times.

On Wednesday, strikes hit Houthi military camps where operatives were gathered, the headquarters of the terror group’s propaganda division, and a fuel depot, the IDF said, reportedly killing and injuring scores.