Yemen’s Houthis launch first missile attack on Israel since Iran war began

Yemen’s Houthi group announced Saturday that it had launched its first military operation against Israel since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran, targeting what it described as sensitive military sites in the country’s south. Spokesperson Yahya Saree released a video statement saying the Yemeni Armed Forces conducted the attack using a barrage of ballistic missiles against “sensitive military objectives of the Israeli enemy in southern occupied Palestine.”

Houthis cite regional solidarity in escalation

Saree said the strike was carried out “in response to ongoing military escalation, targeting of infrastructure, and perpetration of crimes and massacres against our brothers in Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine.” He warned that the group’s operations “will continue until the declared objectives are achieved.” The attack followed a warning from the Houthis late Friday of possible “direct military intervention” if new alliances joined the US and Israel against Iran, or if the Red Sea was used for operations targeting Tehran.

Regional conflict continues to widen

Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported earlier Saturday that the military had identified launches from Yemen toward southern Israel for the first time since the current conflict began. The Houthis had previously launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza, where more than 72,000 people have been killed since October 2023. The new strike marks a significant expansion of the group’s involvement in the broader regional war. Since the US and Israel launched their joint offensive against Iran on February 28, more than 1,340 people have been killed, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while Iran has retaliated with waves of attacks targeting Israel and Gulf states hosting US military assets. Türkiye has consistently called for restraint and warned that the involvement of additional actors risks spiraling the conflict into an uncontrollable regional conflagration.