CAIRO — Yemen’s Houthi movement on Friday opened what regional analysts called “a new operational front,” launching ballistic missiles toward Israel and unmanned drones at commercial vessels in the Red Sea, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.
The Israel Defense Forces said two missiles aimed at the port city of Eilat were intercepted over the Gulf of Aqaba by the Arrow defense system. Almost simultaneously, the U.S. Central Command reported that the destroyer USS Carney shot down three drones heading toward a Liberian-flagged tanker transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
While no casualties were reported, the twin incidents underscored how the war between Israel and Iran-aligned militias is radiating far beyond Gaza. “Tehran is looking to stretch Israeli and U.S. assets thin,” a Western intelligence official told SourceRated on condition of anonymity. “Coordinated pressure from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and now Yemen fits that strategy.”
The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, have claimed responsibility for previous drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates but rarely targeted Israel before this month. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea declared Friday that his forces would “continue legitimate operations” until Israeli strikes in Gaza cease.
Shipping executives said war-risk insurance premiums for vessels using the Suez Canal route jumped 15 percent this week as underwriters reassessed the threat. “Even a handful of inbound projectiles can redirect billions of dollars in cargo,” noted Marcus Hill, a maritime analyst at London-based Lloyd’s List.
Iran has publicly praised the Houthi actions but denied exercising command and control. However, two diplomats involved in U.N. inspections said debris collected in southern Israel bore markings consistent with Iranian-manufactured Qader missiles. The findings have not been independently verified.
Regional governments are scrambling to contain escalation. Jordan temporarily closed its airspace south of Aqaba, and Saudi Arabia placed Patriot batteries on heightened alert along its northern border. Egyptian officials, whose economy depends heavily on Suez Canal tolls, are pressing Washington to widen naval patrols in the Red Sea corridors.
Looking ahead, defense planners warn that a protracted multi-front campaign could erode deterrence in the broader Gulf. “Every additional axis raises the risk of miscalculation,” said Lina Khatib, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute. “Unless there is a cease-fire framework that includes non-state actors, flashpoints from Yemen to Lebanon will remain ignition switches for a regional war.”