Israeli forces unleashed a series of deadly strikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the western city of Hodeidah on Thursday, according to Houthi-run media, killing at least four people and injuring more than a dozen others.

Israeli forces on Thursday launched a massive barrage of strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen in the latest exchange of attacks between Israel and the Iranian-backed rebel group. The Israel

SANAA : Yemen’s Houthi rebels said today that they had fired a ballistic missile at central Israel, with Israeli forces saying they intercepted the attack. The missile was aimed at the Tel Aviv area, the Iran-backed Houthis said. The Israelis reported it was shot down before it entered Israeli territory.

Yemen-based Houthis — the last of Iran-backed groups still fully present in the regional war that began 14 months ago — are slowly escalating attacks on Israel with an eye to avoid full-out retaliation.

The Yemen-based Houthi militant group said Wednesday it fired a ballistic missile at the Tel Aviv area in central Israel, an attack that prompted air raid sirens to sound but caused no damage. Israel’s military said it intercepted the missile before it crossed into Israeli territory.