DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, involving their main sponsor Iran, intensifying the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and escalating the risk of a regional war.
The Houthis were suspected earlier this month of attacking Israel by launching missiles and drones over the Red Sea, leading to the U.S. Navy intercepting the projectiles.
On Tuesday, Israel reported that its fighter jets and the newly deployed Arrow missile defense system successfully intercepted two waves of incoming fire as it approached the Red Sea shipping port of Eilat.
In a subsequent military statement, the Houthis claimed three attacks on Israel but did not specify when they took place or whether Tuesday’s salvos constituted one or two attacks.
Aside from the U.S. interception, there was also an unexplained explosion last week in the Egyptian town of Taba near the Israeli border, resulting in six injuries.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, announced in a televised statement, “Our armed forces launched a large batch of ballistic missiles and a large number of drones at various targets of the Israeli enemy. The Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that this operation is the third operation in support of our oppressed brothers in Palestine and confirm that we will continue to carry out more qualitative strikes with missiles and drones until the Israeli aggression stops.”
This attack represents a rare instance of Israel employing the Arrow missile defense system during combat. The system intercepts long-range ballistic missiles in space, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The Israeli military stated, “All aerial threats were intercepted outside of Israeli territory. No infiltrations were identified into Israeli territory.” However, the missile fire triggered an air raid siren in Eilat, prompting people to seek shelter.
Saree did not disclose the specific weapons used in the attack, but the employment of the Arrow suggests the use of a ballistic missile. The Houthis possess a variation of the Burkan ballistic missile, which is based on an Iranian missile and capable of reaching Eilat from over 1,000 kilometers away.
These attacks occur at a time when the USS Bataan, carrying troops and aircraft, and other U.S. vessels are likely present in the Red Sea.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, acknowledged the Houthi attacks on Israel, implying that the rebels possess missiles capable of reaching 2,000 kilometers.
Saudi Arabia has not responded to inquiries. The country reportedly experienced the deaths of four soldiers in its Jazan province during fighting with the Houthis. At the same time, Saudi Arabia has been aiming for a peace agreement with the rebels after years of conflict.
Iran’s involvement in this conflict deepens with the Houthis’ actions. Iran has long provided support to the Houthis and Hamas, as well as the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah, which continues to engage in cross-border attacks with Israel. Iranian-allied militias have also targeted U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria during the war.
The Houthis adhere to the Shiite Zaydi faith, which is primarily found in Yemen. Their slogan has always been “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.” However, as Thomas Juneau, a professor at the University of Ottawa, noted, “now they have the hard power to back it,” due to their advancing missile capabilities with Iranian assistance. The situation becomes more concerning if Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups launch massive missile barrages from the southern front.
Iran has consistently denied arming the Houthis, despite evidence of transferring weapons such as rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, and missiles via sea routes. This is likely due to a U.N. arms embargo imposed on the Houthis since 2014.
Moreover, there has been at least one attack claimed by the Houthis where Iran was strongly suspected. In 2019, cruise missiles and drones struck Saudi Arabia’s oil industry in Abqaiq, causing a temporary halving of the kingdom’s production and a spike in global energy prices. While the Houthis took responsibility, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and analysts blamed Iran. U.N. experts also concluded it was unlikely that the Houthis carried out the attack, though Tehran denied involvement.
The Iranian mission to the U.N. issued a statement warning that allied militias like the Houthis could expand their operations against Israel. The mission said, “These concerns can be averted, and the responsibility lies squarely in the hands of the American administration to halt the transgressions perpetuated by the Israeli regime.”
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Associated Press writers Jack Jeffrey and Sam Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
