A Houthi missile attack on Israel stokes fears of renewed Red Sea shipping strikes

Houthi supporters shout slogans during a rally against Israel and the United States' war in Iran, in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman) 2026-03-28T16:30:47Z CAIRO (AP) — A missile attack on Israel by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday raises concern that Tehran’s proxies may again try to block Red Sea shipping routes, as Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz keeps another key global trade passage virtually closed.

The Houthis said they fired a barrage of missiles at “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel, their first since the start of the war in the Middle East a month ago.

The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen.

When asked about the Houthis, Israeli military spokesperson Brig.

Gen.

Effie Defrin replied: “We are preparing for a multifront war.” The Houthis are a key Iranian ally The Houthis are a crucial part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which includes militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

They control the Yemeni capital of Sanaa and much of the country’s north, and since 2014 have fought a civil war against the internationally recognized government that is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

Unlike Lebanon’s Hezbollah and militant groups in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen had held back for a month since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

Red Sea shipping attacks would further disrupt the global economy Now that they have entered the war with a missile attack on Israel, there are growing concerns that they could start attacking shipping in the Red Sea.

Such a move would further disrupt the maritime industry and the global economy since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has shaken markets and energy prices.

The rebels also have the capability of striking oil facilities in the Persian Gulf as they did previously during the Yemen civil war.

The Houthis said they won’t allow the U.S. and Israel to use the Red Sea for attacks on Iran. “Our fingers are on the trigger,” Brig.

Gen.

Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, said in a statement Friday.

The Houthi attacks on vessels would not only further push up oil prices but destabilize “all of maritime security,” said Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group. “The impact would not be limited to the energy market.” Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has been sending millions of barrels of

原文链接: AP News