Houthis Launch Third Coordinated Ballistic Missile Barrage at Israel Since Entering Iran-Israel War

Yemen's Houthi forces launched their third coordinated ballistic missile attack on Israel on April 1, 2026, claiming the operation was conducted jointly with Iran and Hezbollah and targeting what they described as 'sensitive Israeli enemy targets.' The Houthis stated the barrage was part of their declared participation in the wider Iran-Israel war that began in late March 2026. Israel's military confirmed its air defenses responded to a missile threat from Yemen; the missile was intercepted with no casualties or damage reported. The Houthis had resumed attacks on Israel beginning March 30 — the first since the Gaza ceasefire took effect in October 2025 — and fired for a third consecutive time on April 1. The coordinated claims with Iran and Hezbollah signal a deliberate Axis of Resistance messaging campaign timed to Passover (which began April 1), aimed at maximizing psychological pressure on Israel as US-mediated Gaza diplomacy remains stalled and Phase 2 negotiations are suspended. US and Israeli analysts described the attack as primarily symbolic, with Israeli air defenses performing as designed.