Yemen’s Houthis have joined the Israel-Hamas war expanding it and all but ensuring this becomes a global conflagration.  Raging more than 1,000 miles from their seat of power in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, the Houthis declared on October 31st that they had fired drones and missiles at Israel in attacks that highlight the regional risks of the conflict.

This is a major step in the expansion of this war and one more leap toward a third world war. The Houthis are a religious sect that sought to rule Yemen after being dethroned.  The Houthis established control over much of the north back in 2015 and other big population centers, while the internationally recognized government based itself in Aden. Yemen has enjoyed more than a year of relative calm amid a United Nations-led peace push. Saudi Arabia has been holding talks with the Houthis in a bid to exit the war.

However, now that the Houthis have attacked Israel, the chances for peace are dwindling.

Part of an “Axis of Resistance” backed by Iran, the Houthis have rallied behind the Palestinians since Hamas attacked Israel. The Houthis’ slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews and victory to Islam”.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement the group had launched a “large number” of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel on Oct. 31, and there would be more such attacks to come “to help the Palestinians to victory”. –Reuters

According to a report by Reuters, the Houthis have demonstrated their missile and drone capabilities during the Yemen war in attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, targeting oil installations and vital infrastructure. The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of arming, training, and funding the Houthis. The group denies being an Iranian proxy and says it develops its own weapons.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement the group would continue to mount attacks “until the Israeli aggression stops”.

The Path To Freedom & Abolishing Slavery