In an unprecedented and daring step, Yemen’s Houthis have confessed to coordinating with Iran on a shared missile attack on Israel. This is the first public confirmation of the direct military collaboration between the Houthis and Tehran. The Houthis fired multiple ballistic missiles at central Israel’s Jaffa in the last 24 hours.
Their military spokesperson Yehya Sarea confirmed the attack in a live broadcast. The escalation follows repeated retaliatory attacks between Israel and Iran since Friday. The Israeli army also reported a wave of sirens in several areas following missile launches by Iran and Yemen.
The Houthis claim they launched the attack in solidarity with Palestinians and Iran. The move reflects a deeper military cooperation and raises the risk of more extensive regional war.
Houthis Confirm Missile Attack on Jaffa
The Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea declared the missile attack on Israel’s central area, including Jaffa. He reiterated that the operation was to assist both Palestinians and Iranians. The missile attack was a component of a bigger, orchestrated campaign against the Israeli military by Iran’s military, as per Sarea.
The statement is the first public recognition of cooperation on a military level between an Iran-aligned militia group and the Iranian state itself.
Israel-Iran Conflict Heightens
The Houthis’ attack follows Israel’s biggest-ever military strike against Iran last Friday. Iran and Israel have since been exchanging direct missile fire. The Houthis also put pressure in by attacking from the south.
The Israeli military confirmed a missile fired from Yemen struck Hebron in the occupied West Bank earlier. Although the Houthis did not claim responsibility then, the recent incidents have made the connection more apparent.
US Strikes and Strategic Pause
US had repeatedly struck Houthi positions earlier this year after their attacks on American ships. President Donald Trump did order a pause, though, after the Houthis offered to cease firing at US ships. The ceasefire seems to hold, but the group has not ceased operations against Israel.
Regional Axis Takes Shape
Houthi-Iran coordination marks a perilous new era. It indicates Iran’s reach into several regional fronts. The Houthis, which have routinely fired repeatedly against Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack, now act with official Iranian support. Their missiles have been mostly intercepted up to this point, but the emerging alliance may pose a threat to Israeli security in the long run.
This union highlights the multifaceted and widening character of the conflict—where regional players now move in tandem, ratcheting up tensions far beyond Gaza.