By Adam Rasgon
On Sunday, the Houthi militia based in Yemen took responsibility for an unusual missile strike on Israel, marking the second instance within two months that this Iranian-aligned faction successfully breached the airspace over Israel’s central region.
This attack exemplifies the evolving nature of the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iranian proxies, who have launched strikes on Israeli land, asserting it is in solidarity with Palestinians facing bombardment in the Gaza Strip. It also underscores the Houthis’ military prowess, despite being stationed hundreds of miles away on the southern Arabian Peninsula.
Around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, air-raid sirens sounded in numerous towns and villages across central Israel, prompting residents to flee to fortified safe areas and bomb shelters.
Initially, the Israeli military reported that the Houthis had launched a surface-to-surface missile landing in an “open area,” with no injuries recorded. Subsequently, they indicated that an initial review suggested the missile had “broken apart midair” and that they were assessing their interception efforts.
Later, an Israeli military official stated that findings had determined the missile was intercepted, with it breaking into pieces but not being completely destroyed. The military refrained from naming the official due to policy protocols.
Yahya Sarea, a spokesperson for the Houthis, claimed that the group had targeted a military site in central Israel with a ballistic missile, although his assertions could not be independently verified.
“The enemy should anticipate additional strikes and high-quality operations,” Sarea warned in a statement broadcasted on television.
According to Nasruddin Amer, another Houthi spokesperson, the intention behind the assault was to compel Israel to cease its actions in Gaza.
“The issue lies in Gaza, and its resolution must also be found there,” Amer conveyed through a text message.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that his country would retaliate for the incident, which he framed as part of a larger “struggle against Iran’s axis of evil intent on our destruction.”
“By now, they should realize we impose a substantial cost for any attempts to harm us,” he remarked, referencing the Houthis at the beginning of a government meeting.
Hamas in Gaza is among several militant factions in the area backed by Iran, alongside the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Abu Obeida, a spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, expressed support for the Houthi missile launch.
A Biden administration official remarked that the weapon employed by the Houthis on Sunday did not represent a new capability for the militia.
Since Israel commenced airstrikes in Gaza following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, some of Iran’s regional allies have launched strikes against Israeli targets, raising concerns about a potential escalation in the conflict.
The Houthis are a Shiite militia from Yemen that has, over the last decade, taken control of significant portions of western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea coastline. Although the group’s opposition to Israel predates the conflict in Gaza, their attacks on Israeli interests have been infrequent prior to last October.
Mohammed Albasha, a senior Middle East analyst with Navanti Group, a research organization based in the U.S., indicated that the Houthis’ actions against Israel are part of a strategy to assert themselves as defenders of the Muslim world.
“The narrative of the Houthis is shifting,” he said. “They no longer view themselves solely as a local, national Yemeni group.”
Since November, the Houthis have threatened vessels in the Red Sea they allege have ties to Israel. In turn, the United States, Britain, and other Israeli allies have targeted Houthi weapon caches, missile systems, and radar installations in Yemen.
On July 19, the Houthis executed a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, impacting a building close to the U.S. Embassy, resulting in one death and multiple injuries.
The following day, Israeli fighter aircraft struck the Red Sea port of Hodeida, under Houthi control. These attacks reportedly resulted in three fatalities and 87 injuries, according to health officials in Sanaa, controlled by the Houthis.
Hezbollah, the powerful militant group from Lebanon, commenced firing into Israel on October 8. Since then, it has engaged in near-daily exchanges of fire with the Israeli armed forces, leading to extensive destruction and significant evacuations on both sides of the border.
On Sunday, Israel’s military reported approximately 40 projectiles had crossed the border from Lebanon around 8 a.m. Some landed in open spaces, while others were intercepted, with no reported injuries.
In an official statement, Hezbollah declared it had launched numerous rockets in retaliation for recent Israeli offensives in southern Lebanon and to support the Palestinian people’s “resistance.”
The conflict in Gaza is now ongoing for its 12th month, with no clear resolution on the horizon, despite the efforts of international mediators, including the United States, to facilitate a ceasefire and the release of hostages from the enclave.
Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the newly appointed political leader of Hamas, are viewed as the two key figures in influencing — either facilitating or obstructing — any potential ceasefire agreement.
