Houthis claim first missile attack on southern Israel since Iran war escalation

SANAA — Yemen’s Houthi group said Saturday it carried out its first attack targeting sensitive military sites in southern Israel since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.Spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a video statement posted on X that Houthi forces launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at what he described as sensitive military objectives in southern Israel.He said the strike came in response to ongoing military escalation and attacks on infrastructure in the region, as well as developments involving Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine.Saree said the group’s operations would continue until its declared objectives are achieved.Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported earlier Saturday that the military identified launches from Yemen toward southern Israel for the first time since the start of the war.The escalation followed a warning from the Houthis late Friday of possible direct military intervention if new alliances join the United States and Israel against Iran, or if the Red Sea is used for operations targeting Tehran.The group has previously launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes in response to the war in Gaza, where more than 72,000 people have been killed since October 2023.