DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian-backed Houthi rebels launched a missile toward Israel early Saturday, marking their first such attack since the start of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which Israel intercepted. The assault comes amid escalating tensions and a complex web of retaliatory strikes.
Houthi Involvement Complicates War
Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree stated Saturday that the Houthis launched ballistic missiles toward what he described as “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel. This attack followed a vague statement Friday signaling the rebels’ intention to join the war. Sirens sounded in Israel’s southern city of Beer Sheba and near Israel’s nuclear research center, with explosions reported in Tel Aviv, prompting responses from Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service at 11 impact sites.
The Houthi involvement raises concerns about potential targeting of commercial shipping in the Red Sea, similar to actions taken during the Israel-Hamas war. Approximately $1 trillion worth of goods passed through the Red Sea annually before the current conflict. The rebels have also previously fired drones at Israel.
US Troops Wounded at Saudi Base
More than two dozen U.S. troops have been wounded in Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base in the past week, according to sources briefed on the matter. Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at the base Friday, injuring at least 15 troops, including five seriously. Earlier attacks this week wounded another 14 U.S. troops. The base is operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force but is also used by U.S. forces.
Diplomatic Efforts and Troop Deployments
The attacks occurred after claims of progress in talks to end the war, with assertions that Tehran was considering reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran has denied engaging in negotiations. With the economic repercussions of the war extending beyond the Middle East, pressure is mounting to address Iran’s control over the strait.
Pakistan announced that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt will send their top diplomats to Islamabad for talks aimed at de-escalating tensions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have also been engaged in discussions with counterparts from other nations, though Araghchi expressed skepticism about recent diplomatic efforts, citing “unreasonable demands” from the United States.
The U.S. is deploying additional ships and troops to the region, including some 2,500 Marines and at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne, trained for deployment in hostile territories.
Death Toll Rises
Iranian authorities report over 1,900 deaths in Iran, while 19 deaths have been reported in Israel. In Lebanon, where Israel has begun an invasion in the south, more than 1,100 people have been killed. At least 13 U.S. troops have been killed, and 80 members of the security forces have died in Iraq, where Iranian-supported militia groups are involved. Twenty deaths have been reported in the Gulf states and four in the occupied West Bank. The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration reported 82,000 civilian buildings in Iran, including hospitals, have been damaged.
Israel Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities
Israel focused its attacks Friday on sites “in the heart of Tehran” producing ballistic missiles and other weapons. Strikes also targeted missile launchers and storage sites in Western Iran, with a partial power outage reported in eastern Tehran. The Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant in Yazd Province were targeted, according to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, with no reported casualties or contamination risk. The Israeli military stated the strike at the Yazd plant was a significant blow to Iran’s nuclear program.
Possible Breakthrough on Aid and Shipments Through Hormuz
Iran agreed to allow humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following a request from the United Nations. Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, said Iran would “facilitate and expedite” such movement. The waterway handles a fifth of the world’s oil shipments and nearly a third of the world’s fertilizer trade, and restrictions on fertilizer trade threaten farming and food security globally.
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