After sinking two ships, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile at Israel, sending millions of Israelis scrambling into bunkers.
The Houthi missile triggered sirens in Israel, creating panic among civilians. The IDF, however, said the missile was "successfully intercepted" by the air defense systems.
Initial reports suggest there was no damage or casualties from the missile debris. The missile attack came after Houthi rebels intensified their siege against Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea.
Notably, the Houthis targeted two vessels—the Eternity-C and the Magic Seas—both of which sank in the sea.
The Houthis released dramatic videos of the attacks, showing their forces warning both the crews to halt their vessels.
When the ships did not stop, the Houthis targeted the vessels with missiles and drones. Houthi fighters were then seen boarding the vessels and taking control of them.
The first ship targeted, the Magic Seas, was reportedly bound for Turkey when it came under Houthi fire. The crew of 22 was forced to abandon the vessel, which was loaded with fertilizer and steel billets.
The United Arab Emirates later said an Abu Dhabi Ports vessel rescued the 22 sailors aboard the Magic Seas.
The Houthis claimed that they rescued the ship’s crew, provided them with medical care, and transported them to a safe location.
The attack on the Liberian-flagged cargo ship, Eternity-C, on Wednesday, killed four sailor and wounded many others. 15 members of the Greek-owned vessel are still missing.
The United States Mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping many surviving crew members from the Eternity-C and called for their immediate and unconditional safe release.
The Houthi attacks on ships are the first since late 2024, and came after Israel bombed Houthi assets in Yemen this week.
Even though the Yemen-based group was launching missiles toward Israel almost every day, the Houthis had not targeted any Israel-bound ships, since the short-lived truce in Gaza.
The renewed attacks on vessels have raised concerns about safe navigation for commercial ships.
However, the Houthis said the group is committed to providing freedom and safe navigation to all vessels except those linked to Israel.
The President of Houthi-controlled Yemen, al-Mashat, has reiterated that they have no intention of targeting anyone not involved in supporting Israel.
Al-Mashat clarified that Yemen’s military operations focus strictly on halting Israeli attacks, and lifting the siege on Gaza. Houthis claimed that the attacks on Israel and Israeli-linked ships are a pressure tactic to force Israel into a ceasefire.
Also read: US airstrikes pound areas under Houthi control in Yemen
But, experts suggest that Israeli attacks on Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, and the Houthis’ tit-for-tat response on vessels, might draw in US and Western forces.
