Israel confirms: Houthis hit us with a cluster bomb

The Israeli Air Force has confirmed a Ynet report that a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday featured a fragmenting warhead, marking the first time such a weapon was confirmed to have been used against Israel.

The missile struck a home in Moshav Ginaton near Lod, causing significant damage but no injuries. The IDF is investigating the failure to intercept the missile, stating it was unrelated to the warhead type. “Our air defense systems, particularly the upper layer, are capable of intercepting such missiles, as they have in the past,” an IDF spokesperson said.

The attack triggered air raid sirens at 8:59 p.m. on Friday, with the IDF noting the missile likely “fragmented in mid-air.” Multiple interception attempts were made by Israel’s multilayered defense systems.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, asserting the launch of a “Palestine 2” hypersonic ballistic missile targeting Ben Gurion Airport. A senior Houthi official, Nasr al-Din Amer, shared a video (whose authenticity is unverified) purporting to show the missile “splitting” over Israel, claiming it reached its target and disproving Israel’s interception claims. A Yemeni security source aligned with the internationally recognized government in Aden confirmed to Ynet that the missile, launched from Yemen’s Saada province, carried multiple warheads.

Initial IDF investigations suggest the missile may have contained cluster munitions, similar to those used by Iran during the 12-day war in June 2025. During that conflict, dubbed Operation Rising Lion. Home Front Command warned residents of “unexploded ordnance” risks, urging them to avoid touching debris and report suspicious objects to police.

The Ginaton strike left a trail of destruction, with resident Ilana Hatumi, 85, recounting to Ynet, “I was in the shelter, heard a boom, everything exploded, that was it.” Her daughter, Shira, noted shattered windows, scattered debris, and damage to sewage, electricity, and phone lines, calling it “a miracle” that the missile landed nearby and not directly on the house.

Per Israel realtime, "International law restricts cluster bombs primarily through the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), adopted in 2008 and entered into force in 2010. The CCM, binding on its 108 state parties, prohibits the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of cluster munitions due to their indiscriminate nature and long-term harm from unexploded ordnance. The US, Russia, China, Iran, Israel and Yemen are not signatories."

Update: 15:55pm

Israel is currently striking San'a in Yemen, and there are reports of loud explosions being heard in the area.