Israel bolsters Red Sea defences after missile attacks by Houthis

Tel Aviv, Nov 1

Israel has bolstered air defences in the Red Sea area with Navy missile boats following several missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, the military said on Wednesday, media reports said.

The vessels were deployed on Tuesday “in accordance with the assessment of the situation, and as part of the increased defense efforts in the area", after a missile and two drones were launched from Yemen at Israel, Times of Israel reported.

An additional target was intercepted early on Wednesday morning near Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city near the Red Sea.

The resort city, normally home to some 50,000 people, has swelled with tens of thousands of evacuees from battered Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip and towns near the Lebanese border, which have been bombarded in recent weeks, Times of Israel reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it has several layers of air defences in the area to protect against Houthi attacks. The US military is also deployed in the Red Sea region and intercepted a number of Houthi missiles and drones heading for

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari threatened that Israel could respond to the attacks, which Jerusalem sees as directed by Iran, Times of Israel reported.

“We are at a very high level of defense readiness,” he said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

“We have added more Navy vessels that can provide significant protection in the maritime arena, and which also know how to deliver offensive capabilities. We know how to attack where and when we decide, against any security interest of the State of Israel, wherever it is required,” Hagari said.