Yemen's Houthis Launch Missile at Israel as Regional Conflict Escalates Across Middle East

In a significant escalation of Middle Eastern hostilities, the Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen has claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack targeting southern Israel. The strike, which comes four weeks into the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, marks a dangerous widening of the regional conflict.

Missile Intercepted Over Israel

The militant group announced via the social media platform X and other channels that it had targeted Israeli military installations, warning of further strikes to come. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed detecting a projectile fired from Yemen. According to Israeli media, air defense systems successfully intercepted the missile, with trails visible over Hebron in the occupied West Bank. No casualties or infrastructural damage were reported.

This attack ends a period of relative restraint by the Houthis. Following the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, the group frequently targeted Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. However, they had not claimed any attacks since a fragile ceasefire took effect in Gaza on October 10 of last year. On Friday, the militia formally announced its intention to intervene in the broader conflict involving Iran.

Attacks Strike Kuwait and Iraq

The Houthi launch is part of a broader wave of violence sweeping the region. On Saturday, a suspected Iranian drone strike inflicted severe damage on the international airport in Kuwait. The Gulf state's official news agency, citing aviation authorities, confirmed that the facility's radar system was compromised in the attack.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Iraq, an AFP journalist reported a massive explosion near the international airport in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region. The area surrounding the airport hosts a large United States consulate complex and serves as a base for American military personnel.

US Troops Wounded in Saudi Arabia

American forces have also drawn direct fire. According to reports from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, an Iranian strike targeted the Prince Sultan Air Base, located southeast of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A US official stated that the assault, which involved a single missile and multiple drones, wounded at least 12 American service members, two of them critically. The attack also damaged several tanker aircraft stationed at the base.

Since the initiation of US and Israeli operations against Iran, the Islamic Republic and its "Axis of Resistance" proxies have continuously retaliated with coordinated drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, various Gulf nations, and American strategic installations across the region.