Houthis threaten US targets in Middle East amid Israel's Yemen strikes

ISTANBUL

The Yemeni Iran-backed Houthi group threatened Tuesday to target U.S. interests in the Middle East if strikes on Yemen persist.

Houthi Supreme Political Council Member Mohammed Ali al-Houthi issued a stark warning to Washington in a video on X.

"We caution Americans against targeting Yemen. If they do not stop, we will strike U.S. interests in the region, ignoring any red lines," said al-Houthi. "Either Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Yemen will cease, or we will target sensitive American assets to deliver our message."

The message came after the Houthis claimed Sunday to have shot down a U.S. F-18 fighter jet in an attack on an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.

It said the operation "was carried out using eight cruise missiles and 17 drones, resulting in the downing of an F-18 fighter jet while the destroyers attempted to intercept the Yemeni drones and missiles."

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday that a U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jet was downed by “friendly fire” over the Red Sea.

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes Thursday on the Yemeni coastal city of Al-Hudaydah and the national capital of Sanaa in retaliation for the Houthi drone and missile attacks.

The attacks were the third wave of airstrikes launched by Tel Aviv against Houthi-held sites in Yemen since July.

The Houthis have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles and drones in a show of support with the Gaza Strip, where more than 45,200 victims have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023.

Israeli army says intercepted missile from Yemen

The Israeli army said Wednesday it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the country from Yemen.

Air raid sirens sounded over a wide swathe of central Israel as a precaution against falling debris, but the army said it shot down the projectile before it entered Israeli territory.

No injuries were reported, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's emergency medical services.

"A missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory," the Israeli army wrote on the Telegram social media platform. "Sirens regarding rocket and missile launches were activated due to the possibility of falling shrapnel from the interception."

On Tuesday, the Israeli army also said it had intercepted a projectile fired from Yemen.

In recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to the Houthis.

"I have instructed our forces to destroy the infrastructure of Houthis, because anyone who tries to harm us will be struck with full force," Netanyahu said, "even if it takes time".

In July, a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv killed an Israeli civilian, prompting retaliatory strikes on the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

The Houthis have also regularly targeted shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, leading to retaliatory strikes by U.S. and sometimes British forces.