Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed on Sunday that it had launched a ballistic missile targeting a key Israeli power facility, marking an escalation in the group’s actions amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Yahya Sarea, the Houthis’ military spokesperson, said the group used a hypersonic “Palestine-2” missile to strike the Orot Rabin power plant, located south of Haifa. He described the attack as a “successful operation” and part of the Houthis’ “religious, moral, and humanitarian duty” to support Palestinians.
“We will continue our supportive military operations for the mujahideen in Gaza,” Sarea declared, adding that the group is committed to developing its military capabilities to pressure Israel into halting its operations in the Palestinian territory.
A year of escalation
The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have intensified their activities in the Red Sea over the past year, targeting commercial vessels as part of what they call a naval blockade against Israel. They frame these actions as solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
In response, Israel has conducted strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen and pledged to continue countering Iranian-backed groups throughout the region.
While the Houthis have made bold claims about their military operations, independent verification of the reported missile strike on the Israeli power plant was not immediately available. Israel has not commented on the attack.
The strike, if confirmed, would represent a significant escalation in the Houthis’ involvement in regional conflicts, underscoring the widening ripple effects of the Israel-Gaza war.
