Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched their first missile attack on Israel since the US-Israeli war with Iran began a month ago, marking a significant escalation in the regional conflict that has already disrupted global energy markets and trade routes.
The attack occurred early Saturday morning when Houthi forces fired a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting what they described as sensitive Israeli military installations in southern Israel. Israeli defense systems successfully intercepted the projectiles, with no casualties or damage reported.
We have carried out the first military operation using a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting sensitive Israeli military sites in southern occupied Palestine
Yahya Saree, Houthi Military Spokesperson — Al Jazeera
The Israeli military confirmed detecting the missile launch from Yemen and activated aerial defense systems to intercept the threat. Warning sirens sounded around Beersheba and near Israel's main nuclear research facility, marking the third such alert overnight as Iran and Hezbollah continued their attacks on Israeli territory.
The Houthi intervention comes after the group threatened earlier this week to join the conflict if their Iranian allies continued to face attacks or if additional countries entered the war alongside the United States and Israel. The rebels, who control most of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had previously remained on the sidelines of the current conflict despite their active role during the Gaza war.
France 24 presents the attack as a surprising escalation that expands the regional conflict. The outlet emphasizes Israeli authorities' miscalculation about Houthi timing and frames it as part of a widening Middle East war.
Al Jazeera provides detailed coverage of the Houthi announcement and strategic implications. The outlet contextualizes the attack within broader resistance movements and highlights the economic significance of Red Sea shipping routes.
Middle East Eye frames the attack as part of Houthi solidarity with Iran and resistance fronts. The outlet emphasizes the group's previous shipping disruptions and their strategic importance in Red Sea trade routes.
NDTV reports the attack as opening a new front in the Middle East war. The outlet focuses on the successful Israeli interception and the Houthis' conditional threats to join the broader regional conflict.
We affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention
Houthi Statement — RFI
During the previous Gaza conflict, the Houthis disrupted global shipping by attacking over 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming solidarity with Palestinians. Their attacks caused a 70 percent drop in maritime traffic through the Gulf of Aden as commercial ships rerouted around Africa's Cape of Good Hope.
The Red Sea has gained strategic importance during the current war as Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil normally passes. Saudi Arabia has redirected much of its oil exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu to avoid the blocked strait, making Houthi control of these waters increasingly significant for global energy supplies.
Strikes will continue until the declared objectives are achieved, as stated in the previous statement by the armed forces, and until the aggression against all fronts of the resistance ceases
Yahya Saree, Houthi Military Spokesperson — Al Jazeera
The timing of the Houthi entry surprised Israeli authorities, who had estimated the group would only join if a ceasefire agreement was being negotiated. The development adds another front to a conflict that has already spread across multiple countries and threatens to further destabilize global economic conditions.
The broader war began when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes across Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks that have now drawn in various Iran-aligned groups across the region. Oil and gas prices have soared as energy infrastructure faces repeated attacks, while air travel disruptions have affected airports from Kuwait to Iraqi Kurdistan.