SANAA/JERUSALEM, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi armed forces said on Saturday that they had launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward southern Israel.

Yemen's Houthi group fighters ride a vehicle with a heavy machine gun during a weaponized rally against Israel, at Arhab district north of Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 3, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

This marked the group's first such attack since Israel and the United States started massive attacks on Iran a month ago.

In a statement, the Houthi group said the operation was launched "in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the resistance fronts in Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine."

A few hours ago, the Israel Defense Forces announced that the Israeli air defense systems successfully intercepted a missile fired from Yemen toward Israel.

The launch from Yemen set off air defense sirens in large areas of southern Israel, sending thousands rushing to shelters, with no casualties reported.

On Friday night, Yemen's Houthi group warned it may intervene militarily if regional tensions keep escalating, especially if the Red Sea is used for operations against Iran.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group is prepared to respond if additional forces join the U.S. and Israeli forces.

On Thursday, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the group, said his group stands ready to take military action if developments in the Middle East conflict warrant it, while reiterating strong ties with Iran.