SANAAcocopoker, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said on Sunday it launched missile attacks on the Israeli city of Eilat and a U.S. ship in the Red Sea, vowing further strikes unless Israel ends its offensive in Gaza.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised address that the group's operation "hit important targets in Eilat city with several ballistic missiles" and achieved a "direct hit" on the U.S. container ship "Pumba" using a combination of missiles and drones.

Earlier Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis from Yemen was intercepted by Israel's long-range Arrow 3 air defense system, adding the surface-to-surface missile was intercepted outside Israeli airspace, with sirens sounding in Eilat as a precaution.

Israel launched airstrikes on Saturday against the Houthi-held Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, reportedly killing three people and injuring 87, according to the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. The strikes targeted fuel storage facilities, causing widespread damage.

Israel said the strikes were in response to hundreds of Houthi attacks over the past months. The Houthis have threatened further retaliation.

The developments come amid the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which erupted in October 2023.

Since November last year, the Houthi group has been targeting ships sailing to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.■