‘Holy Jihad battle’: Scope of war widens as Yemen’s Houthis launch ‘second military operation’ against Israel overnight
A first responder helps an injured boy after an attack on a residential building amid a US-Israeli military operation in Tehran, Iran, Saturday (AP)
With no end in sight, Yemen’s Houthis, the newest entrant in the US-Israeli war with Iran, launched a “second military campaign” against Israel on Sunday as part of a “holy jihad war.”A statement from Houthis military spokesman Yahya Sari said, “The forces carried out the second military operation in the ‘Holy Jihad War’, targeting a number of important and military sites belonging to the Zionist enemy in southern occupied Palestine with cruise missiles and drones. This operation coincides with the military operations being conducted by our mujahedin brothers in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.” and, by the grace of Allah, it successfully achieved its objectives.”
It came a day after the Iran-backed group formally entered the regional conflict. In the statement, it said it had launched its first military attack on Israeli military targets using a barrage of ballistic missiles, adding that the attack was coordinated with Iran and allied forces in Lebanon.Their involvement signals an expansion of the conflict beyond a direct confrontation between Iran, the United States, and Israel, raising fears of a multi-front war throughout the Middle East. The Houthis have vowed to continue the campaign until they end what they describe as “aggression” on all fronts, suggesting a sustained escalation rather than a one-time intervention.Also, the state is strengthening its military presence in the region. Thousands of Marines have already begun arriving and additional deployments are expected, including soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division. While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington hopes the operation will conclude within a few weeks and can achieve its objectives without a ground war, the buildup is designed to allow maximum strategic flexibility – underscoring the uncertainty over how the conflict could develop.Diplomatic efforts appear to be struggling to keep pace with military developments. Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has been engaged in regional outreach, including talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while Islamabad is set to host discussions with the Turkish and Saudi foreign ministers aimed at reducing tensions. However, there is no sign of any quick success.The war, which began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, has already spread across the region, causing heavy casualties and severely disrupting global energy supplies.