Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli cities Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, as well as three U.S. naval destroyers, using missiles and drones. The Iran-backed group vowed to continue its assault on Israel until “the aggression on Lebanon and Gaza” ends. While the Houthis’ attempt to strike Tel Aviv was thwarted by air defenses, they pledged more military actions in support of Palestine and Lebanon. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, in a televised address, stated that further operations would target the “Israeli enemy.”
In a separate announcement, Saree claimed the group targeted three U.S. warships in the Red Sea, launching 23 ballistic and cruise missiles along with a drone, as the ships made their way to support Israel. The Houthis have intensified their attacks on Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, framing the campaign as solidarity with Palestinians under attack in Gaza.
As tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate, with Israeli strikes killing over 700 people in Lebanon since Monday, the Houthis are demanding an end to Israeli operations in Lebanon. Israeli forces, in response, confirmed that their air defenses intercepted a missile launched from Yemen aimed at Tel Aviv. The missile was successfully intercepted outside Israeli territory.
Earlier in July, the Houthis launched a drone attack on Tel Aviv, killing one and injuring several others, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes on Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, which led to a massive fire and six casualties. Recently, the Houthis launched what they described as a hypersonic missile into central Israel, igniting fires and setting off air raid sirens near Ben Gurion airport.
The Houthis, who have been under a UN arms embargo since 2015, have reportedly received support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Iraqi factions.
