Israeli military says it faces missile fire from Yemen, the first since the start of this war

The Israeli military said it had identified a missile launch from Yemen toward Israeli territory, the first reported since the start of the Middle East war on Feb. 28, after Iran-allied Houthi rebels threatened to join the fighting.

In a statement, the military said air defense systems were working to intercept the missile. It was the first time Israel has reported such a launch from Yemen since the war with Iran began, now in its second month. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and media reports indicated the missile may have been intercepted.

The Houthi movement in Yemen warned Friday it would join the war if U.S.-Israeli attacks continued against its Iranian ally or if other countries entered the conflict. The group has previously targeted shipping in the Red Sea in response to regional tensions but had not until now directly joined this war.

“We affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention,” the Houthis said in a statement, warning they would act if other nations joined the U.S.-Israeli offensive or if the Red Sea was used for “hostile operations.”