Yemen’s Houthi rebels have said that they had fired a ballistic missile at central Israel, with Israeli forces saying they intercepted the attack, AFP reports.

The missile was aimed at the Tel Aviv area, the Houthis said.

The Israelis reported it was shot down before it entered Israeli territory.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces targeted a military target of the Israeli enemy in the occupied area of Yaffa (Tel Aviv) using a hypersonic ballistic missile, type Palestine 2,” a Houthi military statement said.

“The operation has successfully achieved its objectives,” it added.