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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Shaun Wilson

Yemen's Houthi rebels show support for Iran with two missile strikes against Israel

Houthis brandish their weapons as they rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon - (AFP via Getty Images)

Yemen's Houthi rebels announced they launched a second attack against southern Israel in the space of just one day.

The Houthis had previously held back from combat for the first four weeks of the war, despite their close affiliation with Iran.

But on Saturday, the militant group initiated two separate missile strikes against Israel.

Yahya Saree, of the Houthi's Yemeni Armed Forces, announced the group carried out "a barrage of cruise missiles and drones" and took aim at "several vital military sites" in Israel.

He stated the strikes "coincided" with military operations being carried out by Iran and Hezbollah, saying it "successfully achieved its objectives".

Saree has promised more attacks in the next few days "until the criminal enemy ceases its attacks and aggression".

The statement was issued on Saree's Telegram just as Israeli and American media outlets reported a second volley of Houthi strikes, hours after the group launched their first missile attack since the war started.

Earlier today, Israel stated it had intercepted a missile from Yemen.

The Houthi movement controls around a third of Yemen's territory, including its capital Sanaa, as well as swathes of the country's northwestern highlands and Red Sea coastline, which is home to over 70 per cent of its population.

Commentators state that the Houthis' strikes pose less of a threat to Israel than those from Iran, but the group can still inflict damage from their bases off the coast of Yemen.

The Houthis have previously attacked shipping through the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern tip of the Red Sea, in order to show their support for Hamas in Gaza.

The attack could have led to economic chaos with its risk to key shipping routes, and there are fears the group could launch another attack on the strait.

Such a move would add further damage to the world's economy following Iran's near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, meaning two of the world's most vital waterways for trade and energy supplies could be closed.

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