Yemen's Houthis launch first missile attack on Israel during Mideast war

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed their first strike on Israel since the start of the Middle East war a month ago, after the Israeli military said it was intercepting an attack.

The attack came after the Yemeni group had threatened to join the regional war if its ally Tehran continued to be attacked or if more countries joined the conflict.

In a video statement posted on X, spokesman Yahya Saree said the group, which controls most of northern Yemen and targeted Israel with drones and missiles throughout much of the Gaza war, had launched ballistic missiles at Israeli military sites.

A few hours earlier, the Israeli military said in a statement it had "identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, aerial defence systems are operating to intercept the threat".

There were no reports of any casualties or damage in Israel, and media reports suggested the missile may have been intercepted.

The Houthis also attacked shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Gaza war, saying they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, but have so far refrained from doing so in the latest war.

"We affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention," the group said in a statement on Friday, warning that it would act if other nations joined the US-Israeli fight or if the Red Sea was used for "hostile operations".

The Red Sea has become increasingly important during the US-Israeli war with Iran, as Saudi Arabia has diverted a large proportion of its oil exports to the port of Yanbu, with Iran having all but closed the Strait of Hormuz and cut off the Gulf.