The Iran-aligned Houthi militant group in Yemen has reportedly launched drones targeting Israel in a show of support for their ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Houthis claimed that the drones were aimed at Jaffa near Tel Aviv and Eilat in southern Israel, deploying a total of five drones for the operation. As of now, Israeli authorities have not issued any official statements regarding the Houthi allegations, and the extent of any potential damage or casualties remains uncertain.
In a statement released by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Al Saree, it was declared that the drone attacks were carried out in solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people, as well as in support of the resistance efforts of these groups. The Yemeni Armed Forces' drone unit purportedly utilized a Yafa-type drone to target an Israeli military site in the occupied Jaffa area, along with four Samad-4 drones directed at military installations in the Um Al-Rashrash/Eilat region. According to Al Saree, both operations were successful in achieving their objectives.
Recent developments have seen Israel's military responding to the Houthi actions by launching strikes on what they identified as power plants and a seaport utilized by the Houthis in Yemen. These retaliatory strikes resulted in the reported deaths of at least four individuals, with dozens more sustaining injuries. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, have been engaged in ongoing hostilities with Israel since the commencement of the conflict in Gaza last October.
While the Houthi group may not pose as significant a threat to Israel as Hamas and Hezbollah, their activities have had notable repercussions, particularly in the Red Sea region. Over the past year, the Houthis have conducted attacks on commercial vessels they believed to be associated with Israel and its allies, raising concerns about potential disruptions to global trade routes.
