Yemeni Rebels Claim Attacks on Israel, Escalating Middle East Conflict
A new player on the chessboard. On Saturday, March 28, the Houthis from Yemen claimed two attacks within hours against Israel, symbolizing the entry of these rebel allies of Tehran into the Middle East conflict that began a month ago. Their spokesperson stated in a released statement on X that the Houthi rebels launched “cruise missiles and drones” towards “several vital and military targets” in Israel.
The rebel group targeted Israel for the first time since the start of the war on February 28, triggered by US-Israeli strikes against the Iranian regime.
Increasing Disruptions in Maritime Traffic
As global maritime traffic faces significant disruptions due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, the Houthi involvement in the conflict could worsen the situation further: the pro-Iranian group had conducted numerous attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea between 2023 and 2025 during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Iran continues its retaliatory strikes in Israel and across the Gulf. The Omani port of Salalah, located outside the Strait of Hormuz in the Arabian Sea, was evacuated after a drone attack. Its operations were suspended for 48 hours, according to Danish shipowner Maersk.
American Universities Threatened
In addition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of the Islamic Republic, threatened on Sunday, March 29, to strike American universities in the region after reporting damage to two universities in Iran from US-Israeli attacks.
“If the US government does not want its universities in the region to face retaliation (…), it must condemn the bombing of universities in an official statement before Monday, March 30, at noon,” declared the Revolutionary Guards in a statement published by Iranian media.
Many American universities have campuses in Gulf countries, such as Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates.
By A.S with AFP
