Sana’a: Yemen’s Houthi group announced on Saturday that it has launched its first missile attack targeting sensitive military sites in southern Israel since the onset of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Spokesperson Yahya Saree made the announcement through a video statement on the US-based social media platform X, declaring that the Yemeni Armed Forces conducted a military operation involving ballistic missiles against strategic military objectives in southern occupied Palestine.

According to Anadolu Agency, the spokesperson highlighted that the attack was a response to the continuous military escalation, including targeting of infrastructure and committing of serious acts against Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine. He also warned that the group’s military operations would persist until their declared objectives were met.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported the identification of missile launches from Yemen directed towards southern Israel for the first time since the war began. This development follows a warning from the Houthis issued late on Friday, concerning potential ‘direct military intervention’ if new alliances join the US and Israel against Iran or if the Red Sea is used for operations targeting Tehran.

Historically, the Yemeni group has engaged in missile and drone attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes in response to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in over 72,000 casualties since October 2023. Concurrently, the US and Israel have continued airstrikes on Iran since February 28, with more than 1,340 casualties reported, including the death of then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In retaliation, Iran has executed drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military bases, leading to casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions in global markets and aviation.