Latest news with #ballisticmissile
Times of Oman
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Missile launched by Houthis at Israel 'apparently successfully' intercepted, says IDF; no injuries reported
Tel Aviv: A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was likely intercepted by air defenses on Saturday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, according to The Times of Israel. The IDF noted that attempts were made to shoot down the missile and they were "apparently successful," with no reports of injuries or impacts. Sirens were sounded in Beersheba, Dimona, Arad, and surrounding areas in southern Israel. Residents received an early warning alert via push notification on their phones four minutes before the sirens began, warning of a long-range missile attack. The Houthis later claimed responsibility for the launch, stating they had targeted a "sensitive Israeli enemy target" in Beersheba. "The operation successfully achieved its goal, thanks be to Allah," the group said in a statement. The Times of Israel reported that the Houthis have continued attacks against Israel and maritime targets since November 2023, following the October 7 Hamas-led massacre. The Houthis had paused their fire after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. By that point, over 40 ballistic missiles, as well as numerous attack drones and cruise missiles, had been launched by the group at Israel. One of those missiles killed a civilian and wounded several in Tel Aviv in July, prompting Israel's first strike in Yemen, The Times of Israel reported. According to the outlet, since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis have fired 52 ballistic missiles and at least 13 drones at Israel. While some missiles have fallen short, the Houthis remain the primary actor still regularly attacking Israel. Iran conducted a 12-day missile campaign earlier this month, and Hezbollah's rocket fire from Lebanon had ceased following a November ceasefire. In parallel with these ongoing regional threats, the IDF issued tonight an evacuation warning to civilians in the central Gaza Strip. IDF Arabic spokesman Avichai Adraee's warning reads as follows: "To all Gaza Strip residents in Nuseirat, Al-Zahraa and Al-Mughraqa in the northern coast neighborhoods, Al-Nuzha, Al-Badi, Al-Busma, Al-Zahraa, Al-Bustaneim, Badr, Abu Huraira, Al-Ruda and Al-Safa: The IDF is operating with tremendous force to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in these areas and will attack any area used to launch rockets." The IDF statement urged the civilians to leave the area immediately. "For your safety, evacuate immediately southward to the Al-Mawasi area and do not return to dangerous combat zones. The terrorist organizations continue to bring disaster upon you - evacuate immediately," the statement concludes.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
US Navy ‘Desperately' Seeking to Stem ICBM Submarine Delay
The US Navy is trying to ease a projected 17-month delay of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile submarine, the USS District of Columbia, according to the acting chief of naval operations. 'We are trying desperately to claw back that schedule,' Admiral James Kilby told the Senate defense appropriations committee Tuesday.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Of course it was worth it': Israelis celebrate ceasefire with Iran
The Iranian ballistic missile landed a little over an hour before the ceasefire was to take effect on Tuesday morning, crumpling the seven-storey apartment block in Beer Sheva, south Israel, killing four residents and wounding 30. Jessica Sardinas felt the blast 300 metres away in her safe room, where she had slept every night for the past 10 days. She had read the news of a ceasefire before sleeping, but did not believe it. 'I never thought there would be a ceasefire,' said Sardinas, a 27-year-old psychologist, while watching rescue workers comb through rubble and flattened cars. 'But I hope there will be one because we are in danger every day here.' Sardinas, like many Israelis, was weary after nearly two weeks of war with Iran. Unlike the Gaza war, which has killed more than 56,000 people in the territory, ordinary Israelis could not afford to ignore the conflict with Iran. Tehran's ballistic missiles could not be batted away like the rockets Hamas fired from nearby Gaza. Scenes like that of the struck building in Beer Sheva, which had its top two floors crumpled, while shredded clothes and broken appliances hung off the sheared-open backside of the structure, were rare in Israel. 'I told all my family and friends that I would always feel safe here, this was true until this war. I don't know if I would have moved to Israel if I knew this war would happen,' said Sardinas, who emigrated from Argentina about three years ago. As she spoke, it was still unclear if the ceasefire announced by the US president, Donald Trump, at 1am local time, to begin 'in approximately six hours' would hold. Israel had launched its most intense barrage of strikes in the hours before the ceasefire took effect, hitting sites belonging to internal security forces and killing hundreds of Iranian security personnel. Iran let off five waves of missiles before the truce and Israel accused it of shooting three missiles three hours after the deadline – a claim Iran denied. Trump quickly reigned in the Israelis and warned them not to respond to the Iranian missiles, letting off an expletive in front of reporters in a clear sign of impatience with both countries. After announcing their commitment to the ceasefire, both Iranian and Israeli officials claimed victory. 'The enemy was left with no option but to retreat, express regret and unilaterally bring its aggression to a halt,' the Iranian supreme national security council said in a statement. A victory rally was due to be held in Tehran later that evening. 'This is a great success for the people of Israel and its fighters, who removed two existential threats to our country, and ensured the eternity of Israel,' an Israeli government statement read. In Israel, there was a palpable sense of victory – and relief that the fighting was over. 'I want to be safe. For 10 years Iran has said they want to kill us. If what the president of the US says is true, that we've gotten rid of the atomic bombs, then this war is finished,' said Gil Cohen, a 51-year-old who lives near the struck building. Israel started the war with Iran by launching hundreds of airstrikes across the country without warning on 13 June, in what it said was a pre-emptive operation meant to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran quickly responded by shooting off a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel, kicking off 12 days of tit-for-tat fighting. Iran has long insisted that its nuclear programme was meant purely for civilian purposes. US intelligence assessments put it two to three years away from obtaining a nuclear bomb – an estimate with which Israel and Trump disagreed. In total, 29 people were killed and hundreds more wounded by Iranian attacks in Israel. At least 430 people were killed and more than 3,500 wounded by Israeli strikes in Iran, according to official sources, though the real number is suspected to be higher. Hundreds of thousands of people were also displaced within Iran by the attacks. To Sardinas, that toll was justified. She said Israel was 'doing the world's dirty work' by setting back Iran's nuclear programme. 'Of course the war was worth it, it's not worth it to stop nuclear weapons? Someone needed to do it. We are attacking them first to prevent their attacks,' she said. Another passerby pushing his two daughters in a stroller said he thought a ceasefire had come too soon, as he was skeptical enough damage had been done to Iran. Amnesty International said the 12 days of fighting had had devastating effects on civilians in both countries, as attacks struck non-military targets on both sides. 'Both Israeli and Iranian authorities have time and again demonstrated their utter disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law, committing grave international crimes with impunity,' Agnès Callamard, the secretary general of Amnesty International, said in a statement on 18 June. The rights body later condemned Israel's strike on the Evin prison in Tehran on Monday, which held hundreds of prisoners, including defenders of human rights. What happens after the ceasefire remains uncertain. Western leaders have urged a return to US and Iranian negotiations, and Israeli defence officials have indicated that their military gains could translate to a nuclear deal that was more favourable to them. Iranian officials have not yet made a comment on their stance on negotiations. After the initial Israeli attack on Iran, the country's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said he felt negotiations with the US had been a ploy to catch the country off guard and he accused Israel and the US of 'blowing up' diplomacy. 'The war should definitely stop, the best option for everybody is a ceasefire. I don't want anything to do with this war,' said an Israeli soldier supervising relief work, confessing he had been sending memes to his friends about being forced to fight in world war three after Israel began attacking Iran.
NHK
4 days ago
- Politics
- NHK
Putin: Mass production of Russia's latest medium-range missile underway
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that mass production of Russia's latest intermediate-range ballistic missile system is underway. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for strengthening sanctions on Russia to block its manufacture. Putin reportedly made the remark on Monday in his address to graduates of a military college. Russia's state-run Tass news agency quoted him as saying, "Volume production of the newest intermediate-range missile system Oreshnik, which has proved itself very well in combat conditions, is being started." Russia used Oreshnik for the first time in combat when it attacked the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November last year. Ukraine's defense intelligence agency says its analysis shows the maximum speed of the missile is more than Mach 11, or over 13,000 kilometers per hour. If Russia advances mass production and its use increases, it will be difficult for Ukrainian air defense systems to stop it. There is concern that the damage will increase. Zelenskyy called for a wider application of sanctions in his social media post on Monday, saying that pressure must be applied to "all those involved in the production" of Oreshnik. Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy. The Ukrainian side says an overnight drone attack through Tuesday has killed three people, including an eight-year-old boy.
LBCI
20-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Media blackout and missile fire: Israel's war footing under pressure
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian The ballistic missile launched Friday morning disrupted Israeli assessments following a calm night in the south and center after an unusually intense day of strikes—meanwhile, drones launched from Iran unsettled residents in the north, the Golan Heights, and Haifa. Despite military efforts—which officials said included intercepting three similar missiles—the missile struck, causing destruction to buildings, commercial centers, and Microsoft offices and disabling a train station. At the same time, military censors tightened restrictions on the media, prohibiting the publication of any details related to targeted military and strategic sites. Reports conflicted over the intended targets of the Iranian missiles. Debate intensified after an Israeli official stated that Iran was heavily focused on hitting military and sensitive targets. His remarks drew widespread backlash and were later shortened on news websites. One week into the war, Israel faced mounting internal rifts Friday, as contradictions between security officials, military leaders, and experts grew sharper. While warnings emphasized Israel's inability to destroy Iran's nuclear program and the growing risks to Israeli civilians, it was revealed that the military had begun rationing the use of its missile defense systems amid concerns it could deplete its stock before Iran exhausts its ballistic arsenal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has kept the war front open. Amid the conflict, Israel's Tax Authority said it is processing 30,735 damage compensation claims filed by civilians. Damage to military and strategic sites, however, remains classified.
