Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched two missiles toward Israel early Tuesday, but both exploded inside Saudi territory, the IDF said.
The attack came days after Israel killed the Houthis’ prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, and several ministers in an airstrike on the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. Their funerals were held Monday.
Funeral of Houthi cabinet members killed in Israel strike, Sanaa, Yemen
The Iran-backed group’s Almasirah television channel reported that the Houthis’ foreign ministry had appealed to the United Nations, demanding that the world body “compel Israel to comply with international law.” The message, according to the report, was addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Security Council, EU officials and the UN’s Yemen envoy.
“Israel attacked the prime minister of the Government of Change and Construction and other ministers,” the Houthis wrote. “The silence of the international community encouraged this dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability.”
They added that the group’s stance in support of Gaza “is consistent with international law” and would remain firm “until the aggression ends and the blockade is lifted.”
The escalation follows reports from the United Nations that Houthi fighters stormed UN facilities in Sanaa and Hodeida and detained at least 11 staff members. UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg condemned what he called “a new wave of arbitrary arrests” and the seizure of UN property.
On Monday afternoon, Israel intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory, the army said. No alarms were sounded, in line with security policy.
The Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that Yemeni public opinion expected a “broad response” to the Israeli strike, possibly targeting “vital enemy sites.” Sources quoted in the report warned that the Houthis’ planned actions would be “high-quality and painful,” and suggested Israeli government offices could be within range.
Houthi military chief Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, who was reportedly wounded in the Israeli strike that killed his colleagues, threatened retaliation. “The Zionist enemy must know that with this heinous crime it has opened the gates of hell upon itself,” he said in a statement distributed by senior Houthi officials.
“Our response will be harsh and painful, through effective and strategic choices,” he vowed. “We promise our leadership and our people that we will continue to develop our strategic military capabilities in both quantity and quality. Soon you will hear and see what will please your eyes and heal your hearts. The tables will turn against the aggressor.”