Rebel group vows escalation until Gaza war ends; tensions rise after U.S. airstrikes on Sanaa
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Monday for a drone strike targeting a military site in Tel Aviv, and a separate barrage of cruise missiles aimed at two U.S. destroyers operating in the Red Sea.
In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group had used a Jaffa drone in the Tel Aviv attack and accused the United States of “aggression” following deadly airstrikes on Sanaa the previous night.
“Our air and naval forces conducted a joint operation against two U.S. warships using cruise missiles and drones,” Sarea declared via Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. “We will not stop until the Israeli aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted.”
Retaliation Amid Broader Regional Flashpoints
The announcement marks the latest escalation in a shadow war between the Houthis and the United States, as the Gaza conflict continues to reverberate across the region.
The Houthis claimed their latest actions were in direct response to a U.S. airstrike in the Yemeni capital on Sunday that killed at least four civilians and injured more than 20 others, including women and children.
Washington has not yet confirmed whether its naval assets were hit, though U.S. Central Command has acknowledged conducting recent operations targeting Houthi missile sites and drones threatening shipping lanes.
Since March 15, the U.S. has resumed regular airstrikes on Houthi positions in a bid to deter attacks on commercial and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea — a key global shipping artery.
Drone and Missile Threats Surge
The Houthis have dramatically expanded their drone and missile capabilities in recent years, often targeting Israel and U.S. interests in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Their so-called “Jaffa” drone is a long-range, unmanned aerial vehicle believed to be reverse-engineered from Iranian technology. Its targeting of Tel Aviv, if confirmed, would represent one of the boldest direct strikes on Israeli territory by a non-bordering actor in the current conflict.
Israeli officials have not confirmed the impact of the alleged drone but said air defenses intercepted several aerial threats Monday night over central Israel. No casualties were reported.
Strategic Risk Grows in Red Sea Corridor
The Red Sea attacks underscore the risk to maritime security in the region. Over the past six months, the Houthis have launched repeated attacks on commercial vessels — drawing international condemnation and retaliatory strikes from the U.S. and UK.
While initially aimed at disrupting Israeli-linked shipping, the Houthi campaign has expanded to include any Western-affiliated presence in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The latest salvo threatens to further entangle U.S. forces in a multi-front regional crisis as Washington attempts to manage both the Israel-Hamas war and its broader consequences.
No End in Sight
In Monday’s statement, Sarea reiterated that “all U.S. aggression will be met with force” and insisted that the group’s operations will continue “as long as the siege on Gaza persists.”
The statement aligns the Houthis with the wider narrative coming out of Cairo, where Arab and European leaders have called for an urgent ceasefire and political solution to the Gaza conflict.
But with drone attacks escalating and no ceasefire in sight, the risk of wider war continues to rise.
