Yemen: Houthis Resume Attacks on Israel and Threaten Saudi Arabia Amid Intensified U.S. Airstrikes

The Houthi group in Yemen, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., has announced strikes on targets in Israel, marking a clear resurgence of hostilities between the two sides after a two-month lull.

 

In a series of military statements released over recent days, the Iran-backed group claimed responsibility for attacks on Israel, framing them as retaliation for renewed and intensified U.

S. airstrikes on Yemen. While the Houthis frequently reference targeting Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s primary international hub, the Israeli Air Force reported intercepting a missile from Yemen before it entered Israeli airspace.

 

This escalation unfolds amid a U.S.-led offensive against the Houthis in Yemen—the first major campaign since the Trump administration and an extension of the Biden administration’s prior military actions in the region. The recent airstrikes follow a series of U.S. measures against the group, including its terrorist designation and sanctions on key leaders, as outlined by the U.S. Treasury Department.

 

These intensified airstrikes, which targeted multiple locations in Yemen, coincide with the 11th anniversary of the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen on March 26, 2015. The operation was part of a coalition supported by Washington and led by Riyadh, alongside Arab nations including the UAE.

 

American aircraft launched strikes on Houthi positions across major cities under their control, including the capital Sana’a, Saada, and other provinces. The intensity of these raids and their focus on new sites within Yemen became evident. While Washington stated that it targeted Houthi leadership positions, the group has not confirmed this.

 

The new U.S. airstrikes have brought attention to the fate of Yemen’s peace roadmap, which the Houthis and Saudi Arabia had advanced significantly in Muscat, the Omani capital, through mediation by Oman.

 

The Houthi group has reiterated its commitment to the peace roadmap amid pressure on Yemeni banks located in areas under its control. This pressure followed a directive by the Central Bank in Aden, which demanded that major banks in Sana’a swiftly relocate their headquarters to Aden—where the internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, is based.

 

The Houthi group condemned the pressure to move Sana’a-based banks to Aden as a violation of the truce. It warned that Saudi Arabia would bear responsibility for this move and would not escape its repercussions. The group described the action as a direct overturning of all prior understandings and called on Riyadh to "bear the full consequences."

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