Houthis attack Israel for first time since war began
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement launched ballistic missiles at Israel on Friday, marking their first direct attack since the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran war.
The Houthis said the missiles targeted sensitive Israeli military sites, signaling their entry into the widening conflict. Israel confirmed it intercepted at least one missile from Yemen.
The Houthi intervention raises concerns about an expanded war and a potential new front near the Red Sea, a crucial international shipping route.
Analysts warned that if the Houthis resume attacks on Red Sea shipping, it could severely disrupt global trade, similar to past assaults in 2023-2025 that damaged commercial vessels and forced rerouting around Africa.
Meanwhile, at least 12 US soldiers were injured in an Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Airbase, and several Gulf nations reported new missile and drone attacks overnight.
Tehran also faced missile strikes after Israel hit Iranian nuclear sites, while Israel continued targeting southern Lebanon amid clashes with Hezbollah.
Pakistan is actively seeking to mediate regional tensions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a detailed phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and announced plans to host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt for talks on de-escalation.
The conflict has had a severe human and civilian impact. In Iran, 1,464 civilians, including 217 children, have been killed since the war began on Feb 28, while an ongoing internet blackout has left Iranians largely cut off from information.
In Lebanon, over a million people have been displaced due to Israeli airstrikes, leaving many to seek shelter in open areas under harsh conditions.
The US has deployed the USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier and multiple missile destroyers to the Middle East, signaling a heightened military posture as the war enters its second month.
The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, have controlled large parts of northwestern Yemen since 2014 and are part of Iran’s “axis of resistance,” aligned with groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
Their involvement is seen as a strategic move to support Iran while potentially expanding the conflict to new fronts in the Arabian Peninsula.
