West Asia conflict widens: Houthis launch missiles at Israel amid IDF chief’s ‘red flag’ warning

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have entered the expanding West Asia conflict, launching a missile toward Israel early Saturday, the Israeli military said, marking the first time the country has come under fire from Yemen since the latest round of hostilities intensified. 

According to the Israeli military, sirens were triggered around the southern city of Beersheba and areas near Israel’s main nuclear research facility, for the third time overnight between March 27 and March 28, as missiles were launched toward the region. 

The development comes as Iran and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah also continued firing toward Israel overnight, underscoring the widening nature of the conflict. 

Houthis claim responsibility 

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said the attack was carried out in response to continued Israeli strikes targeting infrastructure in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestinian territories. 

In a statement, the group said it had launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel and warned that such operations would continue until what it described as “aggression on all fronts” comes to an end. 

The Houthis had so far stayed largely out of the ongoing war. The group has maintained an uneasy ceasefire with Saudi Arabia, which has been fighting the rebels since 2015 on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. 

However, their entry into the conflict raises concerns that the group could once again target commercial shipping moving through the critical Red Sea corridor — a route that has previously faced disruptions during regional escalations. 

Israeli military warns of manpower crisis 

The latest developments come as Israel’s top military commander warned that the country’s armed forces are facing growing operational pressure and a severe shortage of manpower. 

Eyal Zamir, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, reportedly told Israeli ministers that the military risks “collapsing in on itself” if urgent steps are not taken to address personnel shortages. 

According to a report by The Times of Israel, Zamir raised the alarm during a recent security cabinet meeting as Israel continues large-scale operations across multiple fronts. 

“I am raising 10 red flags in front of you,” Zamir was quoted as telling ministers, according to Israel’s Channel 13 News. He urged the government to urgently pass new legislation expanding conscription and reserve service requirements. 

“Right now, the IDF needs a conscription law, a reserve duty law, and a law to extend mandatory service,” Zamir said. “Before long, the IDF will not be ready for its routine missions and the reserve system will not last,” he warned.