Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement announced today that they have carried out three new drone operations against Israeli territory, signaling an escalated campaign of solidarity with Palestinians amid Gaza conflict. Yemen Armed Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree stated that these strikes targeted Tel Aviv, Ashkelon and Haifa areas considered by them “Zionist enemy military targets”, according to an official statement issued by them (The Times of Israel).
PressTV
According to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officials, only one drone made it into Israeli airspace before being shot down near Bnei Netzarim near Egypt’s border and sirens warned residents. Two additional drones apparently fell short of their intended ranges and thus fell outside Israeli control altogether. IRNA English + The Times of Israel + YouTube.
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This action follows earlier Houthi attacks from July and December 2024, where drones and even hypersonic missiles hit sites including Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport with drone strikes, injuring several individuals while temporarily disrupting operations. WikiPedia =WikipeDIA +2Wikipedia
Houthis have repeatedly reiterated their campaign will continue until Israel ceases military operations in Gaza and lifts the blockade on the territory. Their statement on May 22 noted a Zulfiqar ballistic missile was fired towards Tel Aviv airport as part of an action, while two Yaffa drones targeted Ashkelon and Haifa as an act of solidarity.
Israel swiftly responded with airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, including port facilities in Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif that may serve as staging grounds for drone and missile launches. Israeli officials justified these strikes as preemptive measures intended to disrupt weapon supply routes. mes Wikipedia +9 Al Jazeera +9 The Times of Israel [+9].
Context and Strategic Implications
Pattern of Conflict: Since October 2023, when violent hostilities intensified in Yemen and Israel began engaging each other militarily in Gaza war, Houthis have conducted repeated drone and missile operations against Israeli and Western interests throughout Red Sea and Gulf of Aden waters as an expression of protest or pressure tied to that conflict. They see these actions as protest or pressure against it – actions which many view as part of protest movement against Israeli occupation of Gaza region by using repeated drone and missile strikes across Red Sea/Gulf of Aden as protest and pressure linked with Gaza war conflict. Wikipedia +3 Wonkstan Aden War History by B WonK +3
U.S.-led operations: In response, the United States and UK launched Operation Prosperity Guardian and Rough Rider from March to May 2025, conducting over one thousand airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. Although they reached a ceasefire agreement in May with Houthis forces, Israeli targets remain unprotected despite negotiations taking place simultaneously with them, with attacks by Houthi militants on Israeli positions continuing independently of negotiations with them. Wikipedia. +1
Damage vs. deterrence: Although only one drone reached Israeli soil, its symbolic purpose was clear – to show Houthi capabilities of breaching defenses and hitting perceived Israeli sites while Israeli airstrikes attempt to cripple Houthi networks, port infrastructure and command facilities. These targets have since been hit repeatedly with airstrikes by both parties. +1
Reactions & Regional Tensions Israeli officials have condemned the attacks and indicated their readiness to respond at any time and place they see fit, including Defense Minister Israel Katz’s warning that further aggression “will meet a sevenfold response.” Wikipedia
New York Post
Analysts assert Israel’s strikes on Yemeni infrastructure demonstrate their two-pronged strategy of neutralizing threats at source while simultaneously reinforcing deterrence.
Reuter.com + 15 The Times of Israel + 15 Wikipedia.
Houthi Spokesman Saree stated these operations were designed to draw international attention to Gaza’s suffering and show solidarity within the “Islamic Ummah.”
PressTV
Wikipedia
International response has been limited, with UN and Western navies emphasizing shipping lanes over mediating in direct confrontation between Israel and Houthi rebels. A UN Security Council Resolution condemned Houthi attacks against maritime traffic but did not explicitly address any direct attacks against Israeli cities. A subsequent Houthi strike targeting Israel city center resulted in casualties. apnews.com
Houthis drone attacks on Israel signaled a renewed phase of proxy engagement during the Gaza war, though material damage was limited; nevertheless, their symbolic nature and subsequent airstrikes risk further escalated violence across multiple theaters ranging from Yemen to Israeli territory and key regional shipping lanes.
Analysts warn that diplomatic channels have become compromised, prompting analysts to suggest that without an immediate political breakthrough or renewed ceasefire agreement, exchanges may escalate further, potentially drawing in additional regional actors into further conflicts and further widening them.