Latest news with #Huthis'
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel says intercepted missile from Yemen, Huthis claim attack
Photo: AP JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said Sunday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where the Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed launching two missiles at Israel's main airport. "A missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted", the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that air raid sirens had sounded in several areas of the country. The Huthis later said they had fired "two ballistic missiles" towards Israel's Ben Gurion airport , near Tel Aviv. The Iran-backed rebels have regularly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by the Huthis' Palestinian ally Hamas. Earlier this month, a Huthi missile struck the area of the Tel Aviv airport, gouging a hole near its main terminal building and wounding several people in a rare penetration of Israeli air defences. On Friday, Israel bombed the Huthi-held Red Sea ports of Hodeida and Salif following three missile attacks in as many days. It threatened to target the Huthi leadership if the attacks continued. In response to the strike that landed near Ben Gurion, Israel has struck the airport in Yemen's rebel-controlled capital Sanaa and three nearby power stations. On Sunday, Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group would continue targeting Israel until the "siege is lifted" on Gaza. The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have also targeted Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. Their attacks on the vital shipping route drew retaliatory strikes by the United States, which in early May sealed a ceasefire with the rebel group that did not include Israel.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Israeli army says intercepted missile fired from Yemen
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said Sunday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where Huthi rebels have been launching strikes on Israel during its war against Hamas. 'Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted,' the Israeli army said in a Telegram post. The Huthis have regularly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by the Huthis' Palestinian ally Hamas. On Friday, Israel bombed the Huthi-held Red Sea ports of Hodeida and Salif following three missile attacks in as many days. It threatened to target the Huthi leadership if the attacks continued. The Huthi administration said the strikes 'will be met with a painful response', according to the Huthi-run Saba news agency. The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. Their firing on the shipping route drew retaliatory strikes by the United States. However in early May, the United States sealed a ceasefire with the Huthis that did not include Israel.
France 24
16-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Israel threatens Huthi leaders after striking Yemen ports
The Huthis agreed earlier this month to stop firing on international shipping in the Red Sea after the United States stepped up air strikes on rebel-held areas with British support. But the rebels vowed to keep up their strikes on Israel despite the deal and fired three missiles in as many days this week that triggered air raid warnings in major cities. The Huthis' Al-Masirah television reported strikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, a key entry point for aid, as well as the port of Salif further north, without immediately mentioning any casualties. Israel's military confirmed striking the two ports, saying it "dismantled terrorist infrastructure sites" belonging to the Iran-backed Huthi rebels. It noted that prior warnings had been issued to civilians in both areas. "These ports are used to transfer weapons and are a further example of the Huthi terrorist regime's systematic and cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure in order to advance terrorist activities," a military statement said. The Huthis, who have controlled large swathes of Yemen for more than a decade, began firing at Israel-linked shipping in November 2023, weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. They later broadened their campaign to target Israel, saying it was in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Huthi leadership there was "more to come" after Friday's strikes. "We are not willing to sit on the sidelines and let the Huthis attack us. We will hit them far more, including their leadership and all the infrastructure that allows them to hit us," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Huthi leaders that if the missile attacks continue, they face the same fate as Hamas leaders slain by Israel in Gaza. "If the Huthis continue to fire, we will also hit the heads of the terror groups, just as we did to (slain Hamas military chief Mohammed) Deif and (the) Sinwars (Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammed Sinwar) in Gaza," Katz said in a post. "We will also hunt down and eliminate the Huthi leader, Abd al-Malek al-Huthi." In early May, a Huthi missile struck an area at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, gouging a hole near its main terminal building and wounding several people in a rare penetration of Israeli air defences. Israel retaliated by striking the airport in Yemen's rebel-controlled capital Sanaa and three nearby power stations. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said the exchange marked a "dangerous escalation" and was a reminder that the war-torn country is "ensnared in the wider regional tensions."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US truce fails to curb Huthi ambitions: analysts
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have emerged bruised but defiant from a blistering US bombing campaign, cementing their role as one of the Middle East's most powerful non-state actors after a truce with Washington. US President Donald Trump said the rebels had "capitulated" after the intense, seven-week campaign that came in response to Huthi threats to renew attacks on Red Sea shipping over Israel's blockade on Gaza. Rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi slammed Trump's remarks on Thursday, calling on supporters to celebrate "America's great failure" during Friday demonstrations and labelling their campaign on the key shipping route a "total success". The rebels are the biggest winners of this truce, analysts told AFP, with an official confirming they will keep targeting Israeli ships in the key maritime waterway. The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. They paused their attacks during a recent two-month Gaza ceasefire, but in March threatened to resume targeting international shipping over Israel's aid blockade on Gaza. The move triggered a response from the US army, which hammered the rebels with near-daily air strikes starting March 15 to keep them from threatening shipping in the key waterways. "It is at best a very unstable agreement. The Huthis' ambitions in the Red Sea against Israel and in the region in general will not wind down," said Thomas Juneau, a Middle East specialist at the University of Ottawa. "This allows President Trump to claim victory, but ultimately, it is a very limited" win, he said. - 'Doubly resistant' - The Yemeni rebels have framed the ceasefire as a victory, regularly announcing throughout the escalation that they shot down MQ-9 drones and at least three F-18 aircrafts. These losses highlight "billions spent by the US," said Mohammed Albasha, of the US-based Basha Report Risk Advisory, noting that "none of their senior commanders were harmed". The recent agreement failed to curb the Huthis' ambitions. "On the ground, anti‑Huthi forces lacked the capacity to conduct ground operations without Emirati and Saudi backing," Albasha said. "Both Gulf states publicly opposed a ground offensive given their ongoing understandings with the Huthis," he added. The group operating out of hard-to-access mountain strongholds has withstood a decade of war against a well-armed, Saudi-led coalition. "The nature of Huthi rule and how they operate makes them doubly resistant to air strikes," said Michael Shurkin of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank. "The Huthis as an organisation are dispersed and rely on tribal networks. They are classic guerrilla fighters and proficient at asymmetrical warfare," he added. - Iran links - The Huthis have become Iran's strongest ally after the Palestinian Hamas group and Lebanon's Hezbollah were decimated in wars with Israel. "Their importance has increased," said Juneau, adding that they had become "more indispensable in Iran's eyes". Clara Broekaert, a researcher at the Soufan Center, said "the current pause presents a strategic opportunity for the Huthis to rearm and reposition". But the rebels have retained a certain autonomy from their Iranian backer. A senior member of the Revolutionary Guards is part of one of the Huthis' essential decision-making bodies, according to Juneau. Tehran provides them with "missile and drone technologies, military and intelligence support" but the rebels are "not puppets acting at Iran's whim", he said. "Dependency works both ways" between Iran and the rebels, he said, adding that "this gives the Huthis significant bargaining power". Camille Lons, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the group allows Tehran to "maintain pressure points, retain regional assets and networks in Yemen". - Weapons - Relatively unknown a decade ago, the Huthis have remained largely under the radar of Western intelligence services. Their attacks, often with home-assembled drones and missiles, are simple but effective, dramatically reducing Red Sea shipping volumes as cargo companies have avoided the route. It is difficult to asses the extent of their arsenal or how badly the latest US campaign has affected their military capacities. "The assumption is that the knowhow for the sophisticated weapons come from Iran," said Jeremy Binnie of British private intelligence firm Janes. "Some local manufacturing is taking place to reduce the burden on the smuggling networks, although the extent that is happening isn't particularly clear," he said. The Conflict Armament Research (CAR) group said the group was "attempting to use hydrogen fuel cells to power their" drones. If the experiment is succesful, they would be the first non-state actor to do so. "This is no longer a small group manufacturing underdeveloped weapons," Lons said, underlining the increased "complexity of what the Huthis are capable of producing by themselves". dla/aya/jsa
France 24
08-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
US truce fails to curb Huthi ambitions: analysts
US President Donald Trump said the rebels had "capitulated" after the intense, seven-week campaign that came in response to Huthi threats to renew attacks on Red Sea shipping over Israel's blockade on Gaza. Rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi slammed Trump's remarks on Thursday, calling on supporters to celebrate "America's great failure" during Friday demonstrations and labelling their campaign on the key shipping route a "total success". The rebels are the biggest winners of this truce, analysts told AFP, with an official confirming they will keep targeting Israeli ships in the key maritime waterway. The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. They paused their attacks during a recent two-month Gaza ceasefire, but in March threatened to resume targeting international shipping over Israel's aid blockade on Gaza. The move triggered a response from the US army, which hammered the rebels with near-daily air strikes starting March 15 to keep them from threatening shipping in the key waterways. "It is at best a very unstable agreement. The Huthis' ambitions in the Red Sea against Israel and in the region in general will not wind down," said Thomas Juneau, a Middle East specialist at the University of Ottawa. "This allows President Trump to claim victory, but ultimately, it is a very limited" win, he said. 'Doubly resistant' The Yemeni rebels have framed the ceasefire as a victory, regularly announcing throughout the escalation that they shot down MQ-9 drones and at least three F-18 aircrafts. These losses highlight "billions spent by the US," said Mohammed Albasha, of the US-based Basha Report Risk Advisory, noting that "none of their senior commanders were harmed". The recent agreement failed to curb the Huthis' ambitions. "On the ground, anti‑Huthi forces lacked the capacity to conduct ground operations without Emirati and Saudi backing," Albasha said. "Both Gulf states publicly opposed a ground offensive given their ongoing understandings with the Huthis," he added. The group operating out of hard-to-access mountain strongholds has withstood a decade of war against a well-armed, Saudi-led coalition. "The nature of Huthi rule and how they operate makes them doubly resistant to air strikes," said Michael Shurkin of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank. "The Huthis as an organisation are dispersed and rely on tribal networks. They are classic guerrilla fighters and proficient at asymmetrical warfare," he added. Iran links The Huthis have become Iran's strongest ally after the Palestinian Hamas group and Lebanon's Hezbollah were decimated in wars with Israel. "Their importance has increased," said Juneau, adding that they had become "more indispensable in Iran's eyes". Clara Broekaert, a researcher at the Soufan Center, said "the current pause presents a strategic opportunity for the Huthis to rearm and reposition". But the rebels have retained a certain autonomy from their Iranian backer. A senior member of the Revolutionary Guards is part of one of the Huthis' essential decision-making bodies, according to Juneau. Tehran provides them with "missile and drone technologies, military and intelligence support" but the rebels are "not puppets acting at Iran's whim", he said. "Dependency works both ways" between Iran and the rebels, he said, adding that "this gives the Huthis significant bargaining power". Camille Lons, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the group allows Tehran to "maintain pressure points, retain regional assets and networks in Yemen". Weapons Relatively unknown a decade ago, the Huthis have remained largely under the radar of Western intelligence services. Their attacks, often with home-assembled drones and missiles, are simple but effective, dramatically reducing Red Sea shipping volumes as cargo companies have avoided the route. It is difficult to asses the extent of their arsenal or how badly the latest US campaign has affected their military capacities. "The assumption is that the knowhow for the sophisticated weapons come from Iran," said Jeremy Binnie of British private intelligence firm Janes. "Some local manufacturing is taking place to reduce the burden on the smuggling networks, although the extent that is happening isn't particularly clear," he said. The Conflict Armament Research (CAR) group said the group was "attempting to use hydrogen fuel cells to power their" drones. If the experiment is succesful, they would be the first non-state actor to do so. "This is no longer a small group manufacturing underdeveloped weapons," Lons said, underlining the increased "complexity of what the Huthis are capable of producing by themselves".
