On Saturday, March 28, Yemen’s Houthi faction launched multiple ballistic missiles aimed at what they identified as sensitive military locations in southern Israel. This attack marks their formal entry into the ongoing conflict, occurring one month after hostilities escalated on February 28.
The Israeli Defense Forces reported that all missiles were intercepted by their defense systems, and there were no injuries or damage reported so far.
According to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, this operation is a statement of their involvement in the US-Israel conflict, asserting support for Iran and its allies such as Hezbollah. They warn that further actions will follow until these attacks cease.
Known formally as Ansar Allah, the Houthis are an Iran-aligned militant group rooted in Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim community. They’ve been a notable force since gaining traction in the mid-2000s and have been embroiled in Yemen’s civil conflict since 2014.
Controlling substantial areas in northwest Yemen, including the capital Sana’a, gives the Houthis strategic access to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal.
This missile strike comes at a time when Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict. This area typically accommodates up to 20 percent of global oil trade, but traffic has reportedly plummeted by over 90 percent since tensions escalated.
With commercial vessels now seeking alternative routes, the Houthis’ positioning enables them to potentially hinder traffic via missile and drone strikes. Such actions could further strain global shipping lanes.
This group has a history of disrupting international shipping. Between late 2023 and mid-2025, they executed over 190 attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, employing missiles and drones to sink vessels and force rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope.
Red Sea shipping traffic diminished by more than 50 percent during peak disruptions, while the Suez Canal saw traffic drop from around 2,068 ships in November 2023 to approximately 877 by October 2024, impacting trade worth an estimated $1 trillion.
In response to these threats, the United States initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian, forming a multinational naval coalition in December 2023 to protect shipping interests. Extensive airstrikes were coordinated against Houthi targets in Yemen by both the US and UK.
These campaigns, consisting of hundreds of strikes through 2025, aimed at crippling the group’s missile and drone capabilities. Additionally, Israeli forces also targeted Houthi facilities during this period. In 2025, a temporary ceasefire was established wherein the Houthis agreed to halt attacks on US-linked vessels, while continuing operations against Israeli interests.
The Houthis’ involvement in the conflict is likely to raise concerns regarding global oil stability. Recently, the Trump Administration has suggested that talks with Iran could occur soon. President Trump remains focused on achieving a ceasefire, setting conditions for negotiations with Tehran, while also promising to escalate measures if Iran stands firm against dialogue.
