The Houthis of Yemen have entered the Israel-Hamas battle, which is raging more than 1,000 miles from their capital of Sanaa. They said on Tuesday that they had launched missiles and drones at Israel in attacks that underscore the conflict’s broader implications.
As part of an Iranian-backed “Axis of Resistance,” the Houthis have sided with the Palestinians ever since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, creating a new front in a movement that has been at war in the Gulf for eight years with a coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
In a televised broadcast, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the organization had launched a “large number” of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel and that more strikes of this nature will follow “to help the Palestinians to victory.”
His remarks validated the expanding extent of a confrontation that has unsettled nations, such as Saudi Arabia, the largest oil exporter in the world, and hardened concerns about spillover as Israel attempts to eliminate Hamas in its stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
Saree claimed that this was the Houthis’ third attack on Israel since the conflict began, seemingly confirming their involvement in two previous incidents: a drone attack on October 28 that caused explosions in Egypt and was attributed to them by Israel, and an incident on October 19 in which the U.S. navy intercepted three cruise missiles.
When asked how Israel may react, Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stated the Houthi strikes were intolerable but would not go into further detail.
“Death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory to Islam” is the motto of the Houthis.
