The Houthis made headlines again on Sunday following a Yemeni ballistic missile that hit central Israel. However, their threats haven't stopped since they joined the fight against Israel as a "supportive front" for the Palestinians following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Passangers at Ben Gurion Airport rushing to safe rooms
(Video: Marco Alon)
Houthi Supreme Political Council official Hazam al-Assad addressed the missile launch on his X account in Hebrew after the IDF reported on it, writing, “You must listen very carefully to what this great leader, who speaks truth and acts rightly, will say during the afternoon,” he wrote, adding an image of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi. He is expected to give a speech sometime during the afternoon.
Al-Assad later tweeted again in Hebrew, saying: "Surprises are coming," along with a split image showing the missile launch and crowds in Yemen marking the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. "The Yemenis came out in millions to celebrate the Prophet's birth, and the Israelis will have to stay in safe rooms," the Houthi Information Minister wrote.
Sky News Arabia on Sunday cited a senior Houthi official as saying that “a missile launched from Yemen hit Israel after 20 interceptor missiles failed to down it.” While it's likely that the Arrow and Iron Dome air defense systems did fail to intercept the missile, the actual number of interceptors launched was much lower.
Lebanese network Al-Mayadeen cited sources claiming that "the Yemeni military statement will reveal details of the operation, the weapons used and additional messages. As long as the attacks in Gaza and the West Bank continue, the Israeli enemy and all residents of Israel should expect the worst."
"Yemen is preparing for war with the enemy using various tactics,” the sources added. “It knows the war is long and is building strategic military capabilities accordingly. Yemeni weapons will continue to target the planned targets back in Jaffa and beyond. Yemen won’t settle for a single target and renews its warning to the enemy that Jaffa isn’t safe and this threat must be taken seriously."
The Houthis' weekly speeches typically take place on Thursdays, during which the leader reviews recent events in the region, praises Iran’s Axis of Resistance for supporting the Palestinians, calls on Arab nations not to stand by during the war in Gaza, proclaims the terror organization’s latest achievements, and threatens Israel.
Since the Israeli strike on Hodeidah in July, the Houthis have also been threatening retaliation and hinting at further escalation in their operations against Israel. The Houthis have repeatedly claimed in recent months that if they could, and geography allowed, they would take part in the fight against Israel physically.
In a speech on September 5, al-Houthi said: "Since the start of Israeli aggression in Gaza, we’ve wanted to move with hundreds of thousands of our people and directly participate in the ground battles. What separates us from direct confrontation with Israel is the vast geography of Arab regimes, many of which cooperate with Israel. We continue nonetheless and the response is coming."
The terror group also regularly conducts drills simulating takeovers of Israeli targets, holds very long marches in different areas of Yemen and disseminates videos and images of these events as part of their active propaganda efforts. In recent days, several unverified reports have surfaced regarding the transfer of Yemeni forces to Syria.
The Houthis' steady stream of threats has largely been ignored by Israel, with discussions about them resurfacing only when they manage to launch a drone toward Tel Aviv or send a missile into Israeli territory.