Yemen’s Houthis Join Israel-Hamas Conflict, Launching Attacks from Over 1,000 Miles Away
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, known as the Houthis, have entered the ongoing Israel-Hamas war by launching drones and missiles at Israel. Despite being based in Sanaa, more than 1,000 miles away from the conflict, the Houthis have shown their support for the Palestinians since Hamas initiated the attacks on Israel on October 7. This move underscores the regional risks associated with the conflict.
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, announced in a televised statement that the group had launched a significant number of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel. He also stated that there would be more attacks to come, with the aim of assisting the Palestinians in achieving victory.
This latest development highlights the expanding scope of the conflict, which has caused concerns among various states, including Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter. As Israel continues its efforts to dismantle Hamas in Gaza, the fear of spillover effects has increased.
Saree’s statement also confirmed that this was not the first time the Houthis had targeted Israel during the conflict. It appeared to acknowledge their involvement in a drone attack on October 28, which led to explosions in Egypt and was attributed to the Houthis by Israel. Additionally, an incident on October 19 involved the interception of three cruise missiles by the United States Navy.
Tzachi Hanegbi, the Israeli National Security Adviser, condemned the Houthi attacks as intolerable. However, he refrained from providing details on how Israel might respond.
The Houthis’ motto is “Death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory to Islam.”
The Houthis are part of the “Axis of Resistance,” a coalition supported by Iran that opposes Israel and the United States. Since October 7, this alliance has been carrying out attacks throughout the region. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have been targeting U.S. forces, while Lebanon’s Hezbollah has engaged in clashes with Israeli forces along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
The Houthis have previously demonstrated their missile and drone capabilities during the Yemen war, launching attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of arming, training, and funding the Houthis. However, the group denies being an Iranian proxy and asserts that it develops its own weapons.
To prevent the conflict in Gaza from spreading further, the United States, Israel’s main ally, has deployed aircraft carriers as a deterrent. Iran has also expressed its desire to prevent the war from escalating.
Nevertheless, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian hinted that Tehran’s allies might take further action. He stated that “Resistance groups will not remain silent in the face of the Zionist regime’s crimes and America’s full support for the Zionist regime,” adding that if the situation gets out of control, no party will be safe from the consequences.
Houthi spokesperson Saree blamed Israel for the instability in the Middle East, accusing them of expanding the “circle of conflict” through their “continued crimes.” He reiterated that the Houthis would continue their attacks until Israeli aggression ceases.
Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center noted that although Houthi attacks have been shot down during the current hostilities, they pose more of a messaging threat than a significant military one. However, he warned that if an all-out engagement were to occur, with multiple rocket launches from various directions, it could overwhelm air defenses and pose a real risk to Israel.
Yemen has experienced relative calm for over a year due to a U.N.-led peace initiative. Saudi Arabia has been engaging in talks with the Houthis to end the war, as the kingdom shifts its focus to economic priorities. However, the Houthi attacks on Israel have raised the threat of conflict for Saudi Arabia.
The most direct flight path for any drones or missiles launched from Yemen crosses western Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea before passing over Jordan and reaching Israel.
The Saudi government communications office did not respond to requests for comment on the kingdom’s concerns regarding Houthi attacks. However, Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian expressed Saudi Arabia’s worry about the conflict spilling over its borders and putting the country in a precarious position between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Saudi Arabia and Iran, the prominent Sunni Arab and Shiite powers in the region, respectively, restored diplomatic ties earlier this year, easing years of tensions that have fueled conflicts across the Middle East.
In 2019, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack that temporarily cut Saudi Arabia’s oil output by more than half. The United States attributed the attack to Iran, although Tehran denied involvement.
(Additional reporting by Nadine Awadalla and Nayera Abdallah in Dubai, Tom Perry in Beirut, Parisa Hafezi in Dubai, Henriette Chacar and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem, and Mohamed Ghobari in Aden. Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Gareth Jones)
