The Voice News: For the first time, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have publicly confirmed launching a missile attack on Israel in direct coordination with Iran. The announcement came amid an escalating exchange of fire between Israel and Iran, now entering its third consecutive day.In a televised statement on Sunday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group fired several ballistic missiles at central Israel, targeting the Jaffa area within the past 24 hours.”This operation was carried out in coordination with the Iranian army against the criminal Israeli enemy, in support of the oppressed Palestinian and Iranian peoples,” Sarea declared.Earlier, air raid sirens and loud booms were heard across multiple Israeli cities, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as reported by AFP journalists. The Israeli military confirmed missile sirens were triggered in various regions due to launches from both Iran and Yemen.The spike in hostilities began on Friday when Israel launched its largest-ever military operation against Iran. That same day, a missile reportedly fired from Yemen struck Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. While the Houthis did not initially claim responsibility for that incident, they have since increased their engagement.The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Israel with missile and drone attacks since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. Most of the Houthi-launched attacks have been intercepted by Israeli defense systems.In retaliation, Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes on Houthi positions. The United States had also launched a series of strikes against the Houthis earlier this year. However, President Donald Trump halted the U.S. offensive after the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American vessels.The latest developments underscore the growing regional entanglement in the Israel-Iran conflict, drawing in Tehran-aligned militias from across the Middle East.
