Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia said it fired several missiles at Israel on Monday, claiming its first attack on the country in several weeks.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari further proclaimed a "complete blockade" of shipping for Israel in the Red Sea, saying any Israeli movements there would be treated as "military targets."
This means commercial vessels in the Red Sea could once again be in danger if the Houthis consider them to have links to Israel, for example if heading to Israeli ports.
It is the first direct Houthi attack on Israel since early April.
The Israeli military said in the early hours of Monday morning that a missile had been fired from Yemen towards Israel, and the population was urged to follow safety instructions. During the ongoing Iran war, the Houthis have claimed attacks on Israel using drones, missiles and cruise missiles.
It comes after Iran launched attacks on Israel on Sunday evening for the first time in months, prompting Israeli to strike targets in Iran.
'Unwavering solidarity' with Tehran
The Houthi militia in Yemen is one of Iran's most important non-state allies, alongside Hezbollah in Lebanon. After the US and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28, it announced its "full and unwavering solidarity" with Tehran.
Houthi officials again voiced the Iranian strategy of a "united front" against the United States and Israel as the militia's only option. Under this strategy, Iran-backed armed groups - known as the "Axis of Resistance" - operate together in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.
The Houthis control the Bab al-Mandab strait from Yemen, and with it the entrance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal further north. This route connects Europe and Asia and is one of the most important oil shipping lanes, along with the largely blockaded Strait of Hormuz. At its narrowest point, the Bab al-Mandab is only around 30 kilometres wide.
The Houthis had threatened new attacks on the strait in recent weeks. From 2023 onwards, the militia massively disrupted global trade with hundreds of attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, justifying those attacks as a response to Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip.
