CNN
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The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it successfully intercepted an aerial attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, heightening concerns about the potential expansion of the Israel-Hamas conflict in the region.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthi forces, stated on Houthi-owned Al-Masirah TV that they launched ballistic missiles and drones against targets in Israel, marking their third operation in support of the Palestinian people.
Gen. Saree further mentioned their plans for more strikes until the “Israeli aggression” ceases.
“Our armed forces launched a large batch of ballistic and winged missiles and a large number of drones at various targets of the Israeli enemy,” he emphasized, referring to all of Israel as the “occupied territories.”
The Houthis, a Shia political and military organization in Yemen, have been engaged in a civil war backed by Saudi Arabia. They have demonstrated their support for the Palestinians and organized protests against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
A separate statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed their successful use of the Arrow aerial defense system to intercept a surface-to-surface missile fired from the Red Sea area.
The utilization of the Arrow defense system, designed for high altitude missiles, suggests that the Houthis employed a more advanced and long-range missile in their attempted attack.
Israeli jets also intercepted what the IDF described as “aerial threats” in the area, clarifying that all threats were intercepted outside Israeli territory.
The attempted strikes on Israel signify an escalation by the Iran-backed Houthis, contributing to the escalating regional rivalries despite US efforts to contain a potential Middle Eastern war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian cautioned on Tuesday that the “expansion of conflicts in the region” was occurring and that resistance group members will not remain silent against America’s full support for Israel. He emphasized the urgency to use political opportunities to halt the war before it spirals out of control.
Meanwhile, the Houthis’ recent attacks follow a thwarted attempt two weeks ago, when a US warship near Yemen’s coast intercepted four cruise missiles and 15 drones heading towards Israel. Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed the missiles were fired by Iranian-backed Houthi forces and were potentially aimed at targets in Israel.
It is worth noting that Iran, despite facing US-imposed sanctions, continues to provide training and arms to various regional entities, including the Houthis in Yemen, the Syrian regime, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
Additionally, Hezbollah, another powerful Shia militia, regularly engages in skirmishes with Israel along the Israel-Lebanon border. To deter further escalation, the US deployed two carrier groups to the eastern Mediterranean in October.
As the Gaza war continues, US bases in Iraq and Syria have experienced sporadic attacks.
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