SANAA/TEL AVIV – Yemen’s Houthis launc-hed a ballistic missile attack at southern Israel on Saturday morning, triggering sirens in Beersheba and surrounding areas, in the first offensive from the Iran-aligned group since the start of the war with Iran.
In a statement, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they had targeted “sensitive Israeli military sites” with a “barrage of ballistic missiles.” The Israeli Defence Forces said one ballistic missile fired from Yemen was successfully shot down by air defenses. The ballistic missile set off sirens in southern Israel, and no injuries were reported.
Several hours later, a cruise missile launched from Yemen was shot down over the Red Sea, according to the IDF. No sirens sounded in Israel for that attack, as no towns were under any threat, the military said.
The attacks came a day after the US-designated terror group warned it was prepared to intervene militarily if other countries joined the United States and Israel in their campaign against Iran, or if the Red Sea was used to launch attacks on the Islamic Republic.
“We confirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention” if any new alliances join Washington and Israel against Iran and its allies, or if the Red Sea is used for “hostile operations” against Iran, the rebel group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised speech late Friday evening.
Saree also said the Houthis were prepared to act if what he called the escalation against Iran and the “axis of resistance” continued, but did not say what form any intervention would take.
The group’s involvement raises the prospect of a broader regional confrontation, particularly given the Houthis’ ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula.
Iran’s Shi’ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have already joined the war in the region that began with US and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The Houthis had not until now announced any direct entry into the war, despite their military capabilities and geographic position overlooking the Red Sea.
In his speech, Saree also said the Houthis would not allow the Red Sea to be used to carry out “hostile operations” against Iran or any Muslim country. He warned against any further tightening of what he described as “the blockade on Yemen.”
Saree called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran and allied countries, including Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
