US Defense System Fails For 2nd Time This Week Amid Houthi Missiles On Israel

Yemen's Houthis have fired another ballistic missile at Israel, which was reportedly intercepted by Israel's Arrow long-range air defense system. The attack comes after a ballistic missile hit Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv last weekend, injuring six people, and Israel launched massive airstrikes on Yemen's international airport in Sanaa. The timing of the attack is interesting given President Trump's recent declaration of a US-Houthi ceasefire in the Red Sea, which was seen as Washington taking a step back from defending Israel. The American THAAD system deployed to Israel engaged the missile but missed, for the second time this week, which could prove highly embarrassing for the US. The failure of US-supplied systems could have significant implications, especially as the Houthis alter their attack priorities from US warships in the Red Sea to more direct attacks on Israel. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in Houthi drone attacks in the Red Sea, including against the USS Truman carrier, which resulted in several F-18 Hornet fighter jets being lost. President Trump had announced that the Houthis had agreed to a ceasefire, but the latest attack suggests that the conflict is far from over. The Houthis have long vowed to keep up the attacks on Red Sea shipping so long as Israel occupies Gaza, and have given China and Russia a pass. The fact that the US Commander-in-Chief had said that US attacks would go into effect immediately is significant, as the fight has been ongoing for over a year. The ability of the Houthis to evade and overcome billions of dollars in air defense technology is a significant concern, and could have major implications for the conflict in the region.