Houthis Threaten To Join Iran-U.S. Conflict, Raising Regional Alarm

(MENAFN- Khaama Press) A missile launched from Yemen toward Israel has intensified fears that the Houthis may open a new front in the widening regional war.
Israel's military said early Saturday, March 28, that a missile had been launched from Yemen toward Israeli territory, marking the first such attack since the start of the month-long U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

The reported launch came only hours after Yemen's Houthi leaders issued a sharp warning, saying their“fingers are on the trigger” and that they were ready to intervene directly if more countries joined the war against Iran.

Any Houthi entry into the conflict would significantly raise the risk of a broader regional war. The group has previously shown it can strike long-range targets in Israel, as well as oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

A renewed Houthi campaign could also trigger fresh attacks on commercial shipping, increasing pressure on global trade and energy markets through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab maritime corridor.

Unlike Lebanon's Hezbollah and some Iran-backed Iraqi groups, the Houthis have not formally announced their entry into the war, despite their political alignment with Tehran and the so-called“Axis of Resistance.”

The Houthis have played a growing regional role since the Gaza war, launching missiles and drones toward Israel and attacking vessels they say are linked to Israeli or Western interests.

Military analysts say the group's calculations are influenced not only by Iran but also by Yemen's domestic conflict, local legitimacy concerns, and the group's desire to project regional influence.

If the missile launch is confirmed and the Houthis move closer to direct involvement, a new southern front could emerge, placing additional strain on U.S. and Israeli military resources and heightening the risk of a wider Middle East conflict.

MENAFN28032026000228011069ID1110912459