E-Paper
Sign In
Yemen's Houthis join Mideast war; what comes next?
The group's entry into the conflict 'marks a serious and deeply concerning escalation', says Farea Al Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House
- PUBLISHED: Sun 29 Mar 2026, 12:22 PM
- By:
- AFP
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A new actor has stepped into a war already being waged on multiple fronts: Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who launched their first missile in months at Israel on Saturday.
Recommended For You
After the Middle East war broke out, the Houthis had voiced support for their ally in the face of a US-Israeli offensive, refraining from taking part while warning they had their fingers "on the trigger".
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels
On Saturday, they pulled it, announcing they had fired missiles and drones at Israeli military sites. Israel reported detecting a missile launch from Yemen and said it was working to intercept it.
The group's entry into the conflict "marks a serious and deeply concerning escalation", said Farea Al‑Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House.
Houthi involvement risks "widening an already volatile war, with significant implications", especially for regional stability and global trade, he told AFP.
An expected move
Analysts had long predicted the Houthis -- who have controlled large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014 -- would eventually join the fray.
The rebels likely "tried their best to stay out of this war," said Al-Muslimi, adding they knew it "won't be good for them in any way".
"But they had to ultimately pay back the favour to Iran," which has backed them for years, he added.
This sends a clear message to supporters at home and allies abroad: "Their main focus is still the Palestinian cause," the US-based risk consultancy Basha Report wrote on X.
Second strait at risk
From their mountain strongholds above the Red Sea, the Houthis can severely disrupt shipping with drones and missiles.
They proved this during the Gaza war, when the rebels targeted vessels they claimed were linked to Israel.
This discouraged passage through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow waterway at the southern tip of the Red Sea that effectively serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.
With the Red Sea acting as a key link between Europe and Asia, the strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
The chokepoint has become even more vital for global oil flows since Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz on the opposite side of the Arabian peninsula.