Israeli army announces deployment of warships in Red Sea

JERUSLAEM

The Israeli army announced on Wednesday the deployment of warships in the Red Sea region as part of what it called "strengthening defense efforts in the area."

In a statement sent to Anadolu, the Israeli army said: “Based on the situation assessment and as part of strengthening defense efforts in the region, naval vessels belonging to the Israeli Navy arrived in the Red Sea on Tuesday.”

On X, the Israeli army posted images of the ships in the Red Sea, whose deployment comes amid a continued bombing campaign and ground operation striking the Gaza Strip, following an offensive by Palestinian group Hama on Oct. 7. Some 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far.

The Israeli army, on Tuesday night into Wednesday, also announced that they had intercepted what appeared to be another threat originating from Yemen.

Yedioth Ahronoth daily quoted an Israeli army spokesperson saying: “Air defense fighters intercepted an aerial threat that was detected in the Red Sea south of Eilat.”

On Tuesday, the army said in a press release: “A surface-to-surface missile fired towards Israel from the Red Sea was intercepted using the long-range Arrow-Hetz 3 missile system.”

Later, Houthis in Yemen announced that "a large number of ballistic and winged missiles and drones were launched at targets in Israel in support of our oppressed brothers in Palestine," marking the first time the group, which controls most of northern Yemen, has announced that it is targeting positions in Israel.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala