Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis confirmed on Saturday that they have launched attacks on Israel for the first time during the current Israeli-U.S. war against Iran, marking their entry to the conflict and raising the prospects of a broader regional confrontation.
According to reports from Reuters, missiles launched from Yemen have been detected for the first time since this conflict, Israel’s military said on Saturday.
The group said the attack was a barrage of missiles that came after continued targeting of infrastructure in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.
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Yemeni officials added that their operations would continue until the “aggression” on all fronts ends.
A second missle strike launched by the Houthi’s was also reported later in the day, according to Reuters.
Experts say that any involvement in the conflict by the Houthis could cause major disruption to maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula.
The Houthis’ entry could further hurt global shipping if they again target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade typically passes.
This comes as global trade and the oil industry face uncertainty from the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, has given Iran until April 6 to reopen the strait.
– With files from The Canadian Press and Reuters Timour Azhari and Nayera Abdallah
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