Iran-US war latest: Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels launch first missile attack on Israel since war began
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have launched missiles at Israel in their first attack since the current Middle East conflict broke out.
The Houthis, whose involvement on Saturday risks broadening and prolonging a war that has entered its fifth week, warned their operations would continue until the “aggression” on all fronts ended. Israel said it had intercepted a missile from Yemen.
Experts have warned the rebel group may attempt to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait south of Yemen, further disrupting shipping lanes around the Red Sea.
The escalation comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s latest update on the war suggested the conflict would last “weeks, not months” and Iran had indicated a willingness to talk about “certain things”.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has closed the Strait of Hormuz,adding that any transit through the waterway will face “harsh measures”, according to state media.
Rubio raised concerns that Iran could operate the strait using a tolling system if their control over the waterway persisted.
He also said that he believed the US could achieve its goals in Iran without ground troops, despite reports from theDonald Trump is considering sending another 10,000 troops to the Middle East.
