The Houthis claim their first attack against Israel since the start of the war in the Middle East

The Israeli army had announced activating its anti-aircraft defense after “identifying the firing of a missile from Yemen towards Israeli territory”.

Published on March 28, 2026 at 09:43. Estimated reading time: 2 minutes.

Caption: Houthis brandishing their weapons in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon during a demonstration in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. (MOHAMMED HUWAIS / AFP)

The Houthi rebels from Yemen, allies of Iran, claimed on Saturday, March 28, their first attack on Israel since the start of the conflict in the Middle East. This occurred shortly after the Israeli army announced detecting a missile launch from Yemen. The Houthis had threatened the day before to join the conflict that began on February 28 with the Israeli-American offensive on Iran.

In a video statement released on X, their spokesperson Yahya Saree declared that the movement had carried out its “first operation” against Israel, hitting “sensitive military sites of the enemy” in a ballistic missile attack.

Earlier that Saturday, the Israeli army had activated its anti-aircraft defense after “identifying the firing of a missile from Yemen towards Israeli territory”. Yahya Saree had stated on Friday in a video broadcast on X that they are ready for a direct military intervention in case of further alliance with the United States and Israel against Iran, conducting hostile operations against Iran or any Muslim country from the Red Sea, and escalating against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

These pro-Iranian insurgents, who control a large part of Yemen, had carried out numerous attacks on Israel and commercial ships in the Red Sea during the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza from 2023 to 2025. Their missile and drone attacks had severely disrupted traffic in this strategic maritime route, now used by Saudi Arabia to export oil without going through the Strait of Hormuz, where navigation is blocked by Tehran.