Minister Chikli says hostage return is war objective | School building collapses from Houthi missile debris | IDF intercepts Yemeni ballistic missile over central Israel

11:03 - President Herzog's office acknowledges receiving a request for pardon

President Isaac Herzog's office announced that it had received the request for a pardon submitted by the family of the defendant A., who is accused of leaking the documents to the Prime Minister's Office, and that an investigation had begun into the matter.

10:51 - Senior officer in documents case asks President Herzog for pardon

The army intelligence officer, A., detained in the Documents Affair from the Prime Minister's Office, filed a request for a pardon from President Isaac Herzog on Thursday morning. In the request, he said that he "admits his mistake, has learned his lesson, and regrets it completely."

Ultra-Orthodox Shas party leader Aryeh Deri reportedly spoke with President Herzog and asked him to grant the request for a pardon for A. to be released from detention.

10:35 - Modi'in mayor says shrapnel fell inside the city

Modi'in city mayor Haim Bibas said that interceptor fragments from the Arrow missile defense system fell in two places in the city, causing minor damages but no injuries.

Sirens did not sound, and Bibas said he has contacted the Home Front Command over the lack of warning.

10:26 - Home Front Command investigating collapse of school building in Ramat Gan

Colonel Jonathan Raz, form Home Front Command, told Ynet news during an interview that the destruction of the school building in Ramat Gan was apparently caused by a missile fragments. "We are in the final stages of an investigation, the investigation has not yet been completed." Raz said, "This is an unusual event of destruction that we have encountered in previous incidents."

According to Raz, the IDF is investigating the possibility that the missile warhead hit the school, similar to an incident similar that took place in Ramat Gan about a month ago, in which a large part of an intercepted missile hit a building.

09:05 - Minister Amichai Chikli says return of hostages is now priority war goal

Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli said this morning that the ground campaign in Gaza has practically finished, and the return of the hostages is a significant outstanding war goal.

"We have determined that the return of the hostages is a war objective. The broad maneuver in Gaza is over," Chikli stated. "The main mission is now routine security and protecting the corridors. The reality in Gaza will look like in Judea and Samaria, but the Philadelphi [Corridor] must not be given up, it is a significant route."

08:27 - Saudi TV reports heavy damage to power plants in Houthi capital of Sana'a

Saudi TV channel Al-Hadath reported heavy damage to the Aziz and Dahaban power plants near the Houthi capital of Sana'a. At the time of the report, firefighting teams were still operating there.

07:53 - IDF says strike on Yemen involved two attack groups

The military said the attacks on Houthi Yemen occurred in two waves, involving 14 IAF fighter jets, along with refuelers and spy planes. The IDF also said the attack was planned before the launch of the Yemeni ballistic missile earlier this morning. In fact, the IAF planes were already in the air when the missile was launched from Yemen. That missile was intercepted by the Arrow missile defense system outside of the atmosphere.

The first wave of strikes occurred at 3:15 a.m., along the coast of Yemen. Targets included the Hodeidah Ras Isa, and Salif ports. Eight tugboats were destroyed in the strikes along with port infrastructure.

The second wave of airstrikes occurred at 4:30 a.m., hitting the Aziz and Dahaban power stations in the Houthi capital city of Sana'a.

Since the decision to join the "al Aqsa Flood" terror war against Israel last year, the Houthis have launched over 200 missiles and 170 drones at the Jewish state. The IDF says that most of those have been intercepted.

07:35 - Houthis promise continued support for Gaza

Mohammed Al-Bahiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau in Yemen (Ansar Allah), said that "the American-Israeli attack on civilian facilities in Yemen, power plants and ports exposes the hypocrisy of the West."

He clarified that even now, "our military operations in support of Gaza will continue, escalation will be met with escalation until the genocide in Gaza is stopped and food, medicine and fuel are brought in for the residents."

07:00 - Building in Ramat Gan hit by missile debris collapses

Following the interception of the Houthi ballistic missile launched from Yemen at Israel this morning, a school building in Ramat Gan collapsed after apparently being struck by debris from either the missile or the interceptor.

05:35 - IAF strikes Houthi capital in Yemen

The IDF announced that following the approval of strike plans by the Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz, IAF fighter jets struck military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime on the western coast and in inland Yemen.

⭕️ IAF fighter jets struck military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime on the western coast and in inland Yemen.

Over the past year, the Houthi terrorist regime has been operating with the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias in… pic.twitter.com/hYNRstbhxP

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 19, 2024

"The Houthi terrorist regime has repeatedly attacked the State of Israel, including by attacking Israeli territory using UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles," the IDF said. "Most of these projectiles were successfully intercepted."

The targets struck by the IDF were used by the Houthi forces for military purposes. The strikes degrade the Houthi terrorist regime, preventing it from exploiting the targets for military and terrorist purposes, including the smuggling of Iranian weapons to the region.

Over the past year, the Houthi terrorist regime has been operating with the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias in order to attack the State of Israel and Israeli civilians, undermine regional stability and disrupt global freedom of navigation.

"The IDF is determined to continue operating against all threats posed to the citizens of the State of Israel, wherever necessary."

An Israeli airstrike in Yemen a short time ago. pic.twitter.com/0ydLEpxbqV

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) December 19, 2024

03:40 - Strikes reported in Hodeidah and Sana'a in Yemen

The Yemeni news agency Saba and the Al-Masirah channel, which is affiliated with the Houthis in Yemen, reported a series of attacks in Sana'a and Hodeidah, Yemen. According to reports in Yemen, electricity cut off in most areas of these cities following the strikes.

🚨 The Houthis are being absolutely obliterated by Israel across Yemen.

Israel owns the Middle Eastern skies.
pic.twitter.com/I15zePfv8e

— 𝗡𝗶𝗼𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴 ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) December 19, 2024

02:52 - IDF intercepts Yemeni ballistic missile over central Israel

The IDF announced following sirens that sounded in numerous areas in central Israel, that the IAF intercepted one missile that was launched from Yemen, before crossing into Israeli territory.
Rocket and missile sirens were sounded following the possibility of falling debris from the interception.

01:29 - Turkey calls to remove HTS from terror lists

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the countries of the world should remove the Turkish-supported Syrian rebel organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Abu Muhammad al-Julani, from terror lists.

"I think the time has come for the international community, including the United Nations, to remove the organization from the terror lists," he told Al Jazeera.