US responds with airstrikes in Yemen
Early Saturday morning, Israelis in Jerusalem, the northeastern Negev, and around the Dead Sea were jolted awake by Red Alert sirens following the launch of a hypersonic ballistic missile by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The missile, fired at approximately 6:25 a.m., was part of a continuing escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have intensified their regional strikes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli authorities confirmed that a 26-year-old man sustained injuries while running to a bomb shelter, but no further casualties were reported.
In response, U.S. warplanes conducted nine airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. According to Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, the strikes targeted locations in Hodeidah and Marib provinces — six of them in Madghal district, two on Kamaran Island, and one in the Al-Salif district.
The incident underscores growing regional tensions that have flared since November 2023. The Houthis, who control significant territory in Yemen, have launched repeated missile and drone attacks on Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. These actions have severely disrupted international trade routes and prompted retaliatory military operations by the United States.
On March 15, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a major military campaign against the Houthis, vowing to “completely eliminate” their capabilities and defend Red Sea navigation routes from further disruption. The Houthis, for their part, have claimed attacks on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers — including the USS Harry Truman and USS Carl Vinson — accusing them of participating in the bombing of Yemeni positions.
The latest escalation raises fears of a broader regional conflict, as both Israel and the United States ramp up their military posture in response to continued Houthi provocations.
