The latest missile launched by the Yemeni armed forces on Sunday was different, making it indeed a qualitative operation. But why?
Shortly after the Yemeni armed forces, affiliated with the Ansarallah group, fired a hypersonic ballistic missile that struck the heart of Israel, the military spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, commended the Yemenis on the ‘qualitative operation’.
This is not the first time that Yemen has struck Israel from the air. On July 10, a Yemeni drone called Yafa traveled about 2,000 kilometers to hit Israel, and later a Yemeni missile reportedly struck the town of Eilat (Umm al-Rashrash) in southern Israel.
The latest missile, however, was different, making it indeed a qualitative operation. But why?
One, the type of the missile itself, as it is neither Russian nor, as some had originally anticipated, Irania, designed around the Iranian missile Khaibar. This indicates that the Yemeni missile was largely developed or enhanced in Yemen itself, thus the writing on the missile ‘Made in Yemen’’.
Two, the latter fact becomes even more important when we take into account the fact that at least three major defensive systems have failed to intercept, let alone shoot down, the lone Yemeni missile: the heavy American naval presence in the Red Sea, the massive US-led coalition military build-up in the region, and more importantly the layers anti-air Israeli defenses, themselves the pride and joy of US military industry.
The Yemeni Armed Forces, affiliated with the Ansarallah, published scenes from the targeting of Tel Aviv with a 'Yaffa' drone, along with scenes from its inauguration.
The Israeli army confirmed that the Yemeni missile traveled about two thousand kilometers to reach Israel,… pic.twitter.com/G56zk1YaxR
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 15, 2024
Three, the delay in the Yemeni response to the Israeli strike on the Hodeidah port on July 20 meant that the repeated Yemeni threats of a decisive reply to the Israeli aggression were not mere chest-thumping.
The response was indeed a serious one as could possibly be expected, for it sent millions of Israelis to the shelters, and had struck an extremely sensitive area between vital Israeli industrial hubs and the Tel Aviv airport.
Despite attempts by the Israeli military to lessen the impact of the missile and to falsely claim that it was intercepted, amateur videos taken by Israelis themselves demonstrated the massive damage resulting from the missile and its fragments.
The delay in the response, followed by a convincing response, is alerting the Israelis that a delay in the Iranian response to the assassination of Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, on July 31, does not necessarily mean that an Iranian retaliation is not coming and possibly soon.
ISRAELI AMBULANCE SERVICE: Nine Israelis were injured while rushing to shelters after a ballistic missile coming from Yemen made impact near Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/JadYBsOaz0
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 15, 2024
Four, the timing of the Ansarallah response coincided with the celebration of Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, thus delineating an important collective spiritual experience that unifies all Muslims, Sunnis and Shias alike.
Five, and possibly the most important point, is that Yemen struck central Israel just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to expand his war against Hezbollah in the north.
It seems that Israel has become accustomed to the state of emergency in the north and the south while central Israel has returned to some kind of normalcy. The Yemeni missile was a rude awakening for Israel, a sharp reminder that no part of Israel is safe as long as the Israeli genocide in Gaza continues.
Below are the latest statements from the main Palestinian Resistance groups in the West Bank and Gaza.
The statements below also contain the latest announcement by the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which continues to target Israeli occupation forces in occupied south Lebanon and northern Israel.
The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Yemeni Missile Reaches Tel Aviv in 11.5 Minutes – Ansarallah Threatens further Action
Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas)
“In a complex operation in the Al-Jneina neighborhood near the Abed Al-Rahman Mosque, east of Rafah city, Al-Qassam fighters targeted a D9 military bulldozer with an Al-Yassin 105 shell. As a rescue force advanced to the location, an armored personnel carrier with several soldiers nearby was targeted with another Al-Yassin 105 shell, resulting in all of them being either killed or wounded.”
Al-Quds Brigades (Islamic Jihad)
“Our fighters in Jenin are confronting the enemy forces on the combat axes in the eastern neighborhood and the Al-Wad axis, showering the occupation forces and military vehicles with heavy barrages of bullets and achieving direct hits.
“Watch.. Saraya Al-Quds showcases scenes of its targeting of a zionist tank from the type “Merkava 4 Baz” with two (RPG-85) rounds in their place of incursion in Al-Awda roundabout in the middle of Rafah city.
“Our fighters are confronting the zionist occupation forces with blessed bullets and explosive devices from several axes in Balata camp. All thanks and gratitude be to Allah.”
The Al-Quds published a video reportedly showing scenes of its targeting of an Israeli tank with two (RPG-85) rounds in the Al-Awda roundabout in the middle of Rafah city. pic.twitter.com/aoEk6qVc5A
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 15, 2024
Hezbollah
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance on Sunday, 15-09-2024 targeted the headquarters of the armored battalions of the 188th Brigade in the Rawia barracks with dozens of Katyusha rockets.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 06:45 AM, on Sunday, 15-09-2024, targeted a technical system in the Malikiyah site with an (FPV) attack drone and hit it directly, leading to its destruction.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 11:20 AM, on Sunday, 15-09-2024, targeted the surveillance equipment at the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba hills with a guided rockets, striking it directly and leading to its destruction.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 06:45 AM, on Sunday, 15-09-2024, targeted a technical system in the Malikiyah site with an (FPV) attack drone and hit it directly, leading to its destruction.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 16:05 on Sunday 15-09-2024, targeted enemy artillery positions in Zaoura with rocket weapons and hit them directly.
‘Qualitative Shift’ – Abu Obeida Praises Ansarallah Missile Strike on Israel
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 17:15 on Sunday afternoon 15-09-2024, targeted the spy equipment in the Ramia site using guided rockets and hit it directly, causing its destruction.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 17:30 on Sunday, 15-09-2024, targeted the Samaqa site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba Hills with rocket weapons and hit it directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted buildings used by enemy soldiers in Shlomi settlement with appropriate weapons and hit them directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance on Sunday 15-09-2024, launched an air attack with a squadron of attack drones on the headquarters of the Military Assembly Battalion of the Golan Division in the Yarden Barracks, targeting the locations of its officers and soldiers, hitting its targets precisely and inflicting a number of deaths and injuries on them.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
