Houthis praise Hezbollah's rocket attacks on Israel, promise further action

Yemen’s Houthi group publicly praised Hezbollah for its recent rocket attacks on Israel, calling the strikes a “large and courageous attack” in a statement issued Sunday. The Houthis’ political bureau hailed Hezbollah’s actions as a demonstration of the group’s resolve and capability, asserting that Hezbollah had followed through on its promises with a strong military response.

Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets into Israel earlier in the day, claiming it was retaliation for the death of its commander, Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month. Israel responded with preemptive airstrikes on Hezbollah’s rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.

This comes after Israel's airstrike in Yemen in July

In their statement, the Houthis expressed solidarity with Hezbollah, pledging support for further actions against Israel. They warned that a Yemeni response to Israeli operations was “inevitably coming.” This show of support follows Israel’s airstrikes on oil storage facilities in the Houthi-controlled port of Al Hudaydah in July. Since then, the Houthis have repeatedly vowed to retaliate against Israel.

The Houthis have engaged in sporadic missile and drone strikes on Israeli targets since the Hamas-Israel conflict erupted in Gaza in October 2023. They have also targeted ships in the Red Sea, Bab el Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, claiming these vessels are either Israeli or connected to Israel.