Israel’s military on Saturday announced the first missile launch from Yemen since the start of the war with Iran, a day after the Tehran-backed Houthis warned they would join the war if US-Israeli strikes against Iran continue.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “identified the launch of a rocket from Yemen toward Israeli territory,” the AFP news agency said, citing a military statement issued early Saturday, adding that Israel’s air defenses were working to intercept it.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, and it should be noted that the Houthis have yet to comment on Saturday’s rocket launch.
The missile launch from Yemen was the first reported by Israel since Tel Aviv and Washington launched joint strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking a region-wide conflict that has now reached its one-month mark.
“Trigger Fingers”
As the conflict drags on, the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen warned on Friday that it would join the war if aggression against its ally continues or if other countries join the conflict.
“We confirm that our fingers are on the trigger of direct military intervention,” the group said, as quoted by AFP.
The Houthis also warned they would join the war if the Red Sea – where the unit has previously attacked ships – was used for “hostile operations”.
Fears of escalation are growing
During Israel’s Gaza war, which began in October 2023, the Houthis routinely targeted ships in the Red Sea and carried out rocket and drone attacks on Israel, pledging solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel and the US have regularly struck the war-torn country, killing scores of people, in response to the disruption of Houthi transit through the Red Sea over the past few years.
The warning raises the prospect of a wider war in the Middle East, particularly given the Houthis’ ability to disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and hit targets far beyond Yemen.
Tehran’s Shiite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have already joined the war against the US, and the involvement of the Houthis would mark the entry of another pro-Iranian actor.
Saturday’s missile launch also comes as the US, led by President Donald Trump, is ramping up its troop presence in the Middle East, with the latest reports suggesting the War Department is considering deploying up to 10,000 troops to the region, including 5,000 US Marines and thousands of paratroopers from the famed 82nd Airborne Division.
