Hospitals in Yemen's capital on heightened alert over potential Israeli strikes: Houthis

Aden, Dec 26 Hospitals in Yemen's capital Sanaa have been placed on heightened alert over potential Israeli attacks, Yemen's Houthi group said.

The health ministry under the Houthi-controlled government, which is not internationally recognised, issued a circular directing all public hospitals to raise readiness levels across departments and blood banks, and all ambulance services to be ready to respond to any potential emergencies, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The exceptional circumstances the country is experiencing as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression require heightened preparedness," it said.

Earlier in the day, Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a long-range "ballistic missile" toward a military target in Tel Aviv.

"Our military operations against Israel will continue until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on it is lifted," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

On Wednesday morning, Israeli media reported that sirens sounded after a "missile" from Yemen approached Tel Aviv.

Yemen's Houthi group later said they launched two drones at the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Ashkelon on Wednesday, targeting "vital" and "industrial" areas.

"We carried out two military operations, the first of which targeted a vital and sensitive zone in Tel Aviv city. The second operation targeted the industrial zone in Ashkelon city," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"The two operations were carried out by two drones and achieved their goals successfully," he said in the statement, adding that the group's operations against Israel "will not stop until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on it is lifted."

There has been no comment yet from the Israeli side.

The Houthi group claimed responsibility for a "hypersonic ballistic missile" attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israeli army said had been intercepted.

The Houthi group has ramped up its attacks on Israel following Israeli officials' pledges to initiate a significant offensive against it.

The Houthis have sporadically targeted Israel since October 2023 in support of Palestinians in Gaza. In retaliation, Israel has launched several large-scale airstrikes on Yemen.