Houiti rebels launch missile attack on Israel amid escalating conflict with Iran

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Launch Ballistic Missile Attack on Israel

Houthi rebels announced on Saturday that they had fired a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel. The attack came hours after the rebels’ military spokesperson, Brigadier-General Yahya Saree, signaled that they would join the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.

According to Saree, the strikes will continue until their declared objectives are achieved. The Israeli military reported that it had intercepted one missile during the attack. The area around Beersheba and Israel’s main nuclear research centre experienced sirens for the third time overnight Friday into Saturday.

The Houthis have previously targeted shipping vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting commercial transit. In 2023-2025, they attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. The Trump administration launched strikes against the Houthis in 2024, which ended weeks later.

Mohammed Mansour, the Houthis’ deputy information minister, stated that the group is conducting its battle in stages and closing the Bab al-Mandeb strait is among their options. A potential naval blockade on Israel-linked ships passing through the strait could hurt Israel’s economy, as about 30 percent of its imports pass through the waterway.

Experts have noted the significance of the Houthis’ entry into the US-Israeli war on Iran. Professor Mohamad Elmasry described it as “very significant” and stated that if the Houthis were to close the Bab al-Mandeb strait, it would create two major choke points along with the Strait of Hormuz, affecting international trade.

Meanwhile, nine Israeli soldiers were wounded in two rocket attacks from southern Lebanon. The opening of a new front in the war is likely to raise further questions about Israel’s military operations and government strategy.

Source: Al Jazeera