Yemen’s Houthis intensify strikes on Israeli soil, maritime targets

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE HOUTHIS LAUNCHED THEIR FIRST LETHAL STRIKE ON ISRAELI SOIL AS THE MILITANT GROUP CONTINUES TARGETING VESSELS IN THE GULF OF ADEN AND THE RED SEA.

LET’S START WITH THE LATEST FROM TEL AVIV.
ONE PERSON IS DEAD, 10 OTHERS WERE WOUNDED FOLLOWING A DRONE ATTACK.
IT HAPPENED NEAR THE U.S. EMBASSY, PENETRATING ISRAEL’S USUALLY ROBUST AIR DEFENSES. A SIGNIFICANT SECURITY BREACH.

THE INCIDENT MARKS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS ATTACKS ON ISRAEL SINCE OCTOBER 7TH.
AND IS RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NATIONAL SECURITY PROTOCOLS.
THE STRIKE BY THE IRANIAN-BACKED GROUP HIT HOURS AFTER ISRAEL’S MILITARY CONFIRMED ONE OF ITS AIRSTRIKES HAD KILLED A HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN SOUTHERN LEBANON.

ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY HUMAN ERROR MAY BE TO BLAME FOR WHY THE DRONE WAS ABLE TO FLY SO DEEP INTO ISRAEL. THE IDF IS LAUNCHING A FULL INVESTIGATION.

THE ATTACK TOPS OFF SEVERAL DAYS OF SHARP ESCALATION IN ACTIVITY FROM THE YEMEN-BASED MILITARY GROUP.

A HOUTHI SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMED FRIDAY THE GROUP CARRIED OUT A STRIKE ON A VESSEL IN THE GULF OF ADEN.

THIS COMES AFTER SEVERAL OTHER VESSELS WERE TARGETED THIS WEEK INCLUDING OIL TANKERS IN THE RED SEA USING A COMBINATION OF BALLISTIC MISSILES, DRONES, AND EXPLOSIVE-LADEN BOATS.

THE UPTICK IS IN RETALIATION FOR A RECENT ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON KHAN YOUNIS, A CITY IN THE SOUTHERN GAZA STRIP.
THAT STRIKE TARGETED HAMAS’ MILITARY COMMANDER, MUHAMMAD DEIF.

SATELLITE IMAGES REVEALED AN EXTENSIVE OIL SPILL OVER 125 MILES LONG IN THE RED SEA, NEAR HODEIDAH, COMPOUNDING THE REGION’S GEOPOLITICAL STRIFE WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS. WHILE THE EXACT SOURCE OF THE SLICK IS STILL UNKNOWN, ITS TIMING ALIGNS WITH THE RECENT HOUTHI ATTACKS.

THESE STRIKES ARE ALL PART OF THE WIDER PATTERN OF HOUTHI ACTIVITY, DISRUPTING KEY GLOBAL SHIPPING ROUTES AND HEIGHTENING REGIONAL TENSIONS.
AS A RESULT, MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANIES ARE AVOIDING THE HISTORICALLY VITAL RED SEA CORRIDOR, LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN TRAFFIC. EXPERTS NOTE SHIPPING THROUGH THE RED SEA PLUMMETED BY 60 PERCENT SINCE LAST YEAR.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M RYAN ROBERTSON.

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