Houthi Rebels Announce Assaults on Israel, Bringing Main Sponsor Iran Closer to Ongoing Gaza Conflict

For the first time, Yemen’s Houthi insurgents announced that they had initiated missile and drone strikes aimed at Israel, consequently pulling their primary backer, Iran, deeper into the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This development elevates the risk of a wider regional confrontation.

Earlier this month, the Houthis were believed to have targeted Israel by launching projectiles across the vital Red Sea maritime corridor. The U.S. Navy intercepted these missiles at the time. In a new development on Tuesday, Israel reported that its fighter jets and newly deployed Arrow missile defense system successfully intercepted two waves of incoming projectiles as they neared Eilat, Israel’s important Red Sea port.

The Houthi forces, who have controlled Yemen’s capital city of Sanaa since 2014 amid the country’s devastating conflict, later acknowledged launching three attacks on Israel. However, they did not provide additional details regarding the timing or nature of these operations.

In addition to the U.S. Navy’s interception of the Houthi missiles, a mysterious explosion occurred last Thursday in the Egyptian resort town of Taba, close to the Israeli border. This blast, which has not been explained by Egyptian officials, resulted in six injuries.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, declared on television, “Our armed forces have fired a significant number of ballistic missiles and drones at various Israeli targets.” He further confirmed this operation as the third of its kind aimed at aiding their “oppressed brothers in Palestine,” pledging to continue these strikes until Israeli hostilities cease.

For Israel, this event marked an exceedingly rare operational use of its Arrow missile defense system, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles while they are still in space, as reported by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Israeli military confirmed that all aerial threats were neutralized outside Israeli territory and that no incursions into Israeli land had occurred. However, the incident did trigger an uncommon air raid siren in Eilat, located approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Jerusalem, causing residents to seek refuge in shelters.

The specific weaponry used by the Houthis was not disclosed by Saree. Nonetheless, the employment of the Arrow system suggests that a ballistic missile was likely involved. The Houthis possess a variant of the Burkan ballistic missile, believed to be capable of reaching distances over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), adequate to strike areas near Eilat.

This latest episode of missile fire occurs while the U.S. naval vessel USS Bataan, equipped to carry troops and aircraft, is presumed to be present in the Red Sea, along with other American ships.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, acknowledged the Houthi attack against Israel and indicated that the rebels have missiles capable of reaching distances up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), stating, “We will continue to monitor this situation closely to avoid a broader regional conflict.”

Saudi Arabia did not provide a response to inquiries. The nation recently reported the loss of four soldiers in its southern Jazan province due to skirmishes with the Houthis, even as it seeks a peaceful resolution to its prolonged conflict with the rebel group, according to anonymous sources cited by Bloomberg on Tuesday.

This latest proclamation by the Houthis implicates Iran further in the regional hostilities. Iran has long supported both the Houthi and Hamas movements, as well as the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, which continues its lethal exchanges with Israel. U.S. forces have also been targeted in drone attacks on bases in Iraq and Syria, claimed by groups allied with Iran, since the inception of this conflict.

The Houthi rebels adhere to the Shiite Zaydi faith, a sect of Shiite Islam that is largely confined to Yemen. Their long-standing slogan reads, “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”

Thomas Juneau, a professor at the University of Ottawa, remarked that it was merely a matter of time before the Houthis could carry out such attacks, attributing their growing missile capabilities to Iranian assistance. Juneau warned that another front to Israel’s south heightens the risk of overwhelming Israel’s air defenses, particularly if Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups initiate extensive missile barrages.

Despite its denials, Iran has been linked to arming the Houthis through various means, including sea routes, according to independent analysts, Western countries, and United Nations experts. A United Nations arms embargo has prohibited the transfer of weapons to the Houthi rebels since 2014.

In 2019, an attack that decimated the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry in Abqaiq was claimed by the Houthis, but the United States, Saudi Arabia, and various analysts attributed the strike to Iran. United Nations experts similarly expressed skepticism that the Houthis could have executed this operation, though Iran has denied involvement.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations warned that allied militias like the Houthis may widen their operations against Israel, emphasizing that the American administration bears the responsibility to halt Israeli transgressions.

The reporting for this article was contributed by Jack Jeffrey and Sam Magdy in Cairo, correspondents for Big Big News.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Houthi attacks on Israel

More about Houthi attacks on Israel

• Houthi Rebels in Yemen
• Israel-Hamas Conflict
• Iran’s Role in Middle East Conflicts
• Arrow Missile Defense System
• Regional Implications of Houthi Attacks
• U.S. Navy’s Role in Red Sea
• Saudi Arabia and the Houthis
• Iran’s Mission to the U.N.
• Ballistic Missiles in the Middle East
• UN Arms Embargo on Houthis