JERUSALEM/SANAA — Yemen’s Houthi movement on Tuesday launched what regional militaries described as a second wave of ballistic missiles and armed drones aimed at Israel in less than 24 hours, escalating a confrontation that has widened far beyond the Gaza Strip.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said air-defense crews detected “multiple ballistic trajectories” originating in Yemen shortly after 2 p.m. local time. “The Arrow system successfully intercepted two long-range missiles over the Red Sea; remaining aerial threats fell short of Israeli territory,” Hagari told reporters.
A U.S. defense official, speaking on background because he was not authorized to be named, said the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney downed “at least three” Houthi drones that appeared to be tracking commercial shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea. The Pentagon stressed that no American assets were damaged.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed responsibility in a televised statement from Sanaa, asserting the group fired “a large number of ballistic and winged missiles and drones” at the Israeli port city of Eilat. He vowed further strikes “until the Israeli aggression against Gaza ceases.” The group, formally known as Ansar Allah, is backed by Iran and controls most of northern Yemen.
The latest exchange follows the Houthis’ first acknowledged strike on Israel on Oct. 19, when the Arrow system brought down a long-range missile near Eilat. Western intelligence officials say the projectiles in both incidents appear to be Quds- and Zulfiqar-class missiles with ranges exceeding 1,500 kilometers (930 miles).
Israeli authorities reported no injuries or property damage from Tuesday’s barrage. Nevertheless, commercial flights to Eilat’s Ramon Airport were briefly diverted, and the Israel Airports Authority warned of possible schedule disruptions should the threat persist.
Analysts note that the Houthis’ entry into the conflict adds a southern front that could strain Israel’s multilayered missile shield and entangle U.S. naval forces already deployed to deter attacks by Iranian-aligned groups. “Every intercept expends a multimillion-dollar interceptor,” said Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at Le Beck consultancy. “Even unsuccessful Houthi launches force Israel and the U.S. to burn through finite stockpiles.”
Looking ahead, diplomats fear the salvo could complicate fragile cease-fire negotiations in Yemen and heighten insurance costs for vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which roughly 12 percent of global trade passes. The U.N. Security Council is expected to discuss the attacks in a closed session later this week.