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First Yemen-Israel strike
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, Yemen-based Houthi rebels claimed their first attack on Israel since the start of the war in the Middle East a month earlier, saying they targeted Israeli military sites with missiles.
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The Israeli army said it detected a missile launch from Yemen and that "Air defense systems were activated to intercept the threat," with sirens sounding in Beersheba and surrounding communities of the Negev in southern Israel.
In a video statement published on X, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the Houthis had targeted Israeli military sites with missiles, while the Houthis’ entry into the conflict was framed as support for Iran, Lebanon and Palestine.
The Courrier international account tied the moment to "one month after the start of military operations led by the United States and Israel against Iran," and said the attack was the first since those operations began.
Saree’s warning and escalation
The Houthis had hinted on Friday, March 27, that they would enter the war that "shakes the Middle East and unsettles the global economy," according to the site of the Qatari television channel Al-Jazeera.
In a video broadcast on X, Yahya Saree said, "We are ready for direct military intervention."
Le HuffPost also quoted Saree adding readiness for direct military intervention "in case of a new alliance with the United States and Israel against Iran" and in response to hostile operations against Iran or any Muslim country from the Red Sea.
Courrier international reported that the Israeli army had announced it detected a missile launch from Yemen, and that "Air defense systems were activated to intercept the threat," while sirens sounded in Beersheba and the Negev.
Sana’a airport blockade
Separately from the Israel-focused claims, the Yemeni Armed Forces delivered an operational warning message to Saudi Arabia after confronting a formation of hostile Saudi warplanes in Yemeni airspace.
“The Houthi rebels had warned on Friday of their entry into the war in support of Iran, Lebanon and Palestine”
The Sana’a - Saba report said the operation was carried out at 5 a.m. on Friday, when the warplanes attempted to prevent a civilian Iranian aircraft carrying more than 200 passengers from landing at Sana’a International Airport.
The statement said the airport continues to remain under an unjust blockade imposed by the aggression coalition on both the airport and the country for nearly 11 years, and it warned that any reckless act would be met with a comprehensive and direct response targeting Saudi airports and vital interests on land and at sea.
The Armed Forces also affirmed that they would no longer accept the continuation of the unjust blockade on the airport and announced the continuation of flights between Sana’a and Tehran to break the blockade and ease the suffering of the oppressed Yemeni people.
