Houthis re-enter the war with Israel, leaving Yemenis torn between pride and fear

AI Summary

The Houthis in Yemen have officially re-entered the war against Israel, firing missiles and imposing a maritime navigation ban in the Red Sea. Iranian commanders announced a new security belt extending from the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab involving Iran-aligned groups in collective resistance against Israel and the US.

Houthis re-enter the war with Israel, leaving Yemenis torn between pride and fear MEE correspondent on Tue, 06/09/2026 - 12:07 Some Yemenis believe it is an honour to support Palestine, Lebanon and Iran in their war against Israel, but others feel that 11 years of internal conflict are more than enough Houthis brandish their weapons as they rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, amid the US-Israeli war with Iran, in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on 27 March 2026 (Mohammed Huwais/AFP) Off On Monday, the Houthis in Yemen announced they had fired a volley of missiles at Israel, a report later confirmed by Israeli media, which stated the projectiles were intercepted. Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, also declared a "complete ban on Israeli maritime navigation" in the Red Sea. This marked an official declaration by the Yemeni group that it was re-entering the war against Israel in support of the so-called Axis of Resistance, vowing to escalate operations until Israel stops targeting Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, said on Monday a new “security belt” of the “Axis of Resistance” would extend from the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab and from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. Qaani praised recent actions by Yemen and described them as evidence of growing coordination among groups aligned with Iran. He said the “Resistance Front” would respond collectively to Israeli and US actions in the region and suggested additional groups could become involved if necessary. “From the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab and from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, a new security belt of the Resistance will be established,” he said, while warning that continued aggression would be met with a broader regional response.  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Iran also threatened last week that if Israel continued the war, it would escalate the situation by closing the Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital maritime chokepoint at the southern entrance of the Red Sea, bordering south-east Yemen. Ansar Allah, who have already targeted Israeli, US and UK-affiliated ships in the Red Sea, are the ones capable of enforcing the closure of the Bab al-Mandab strait. While some Yemenis believe re-entering the war is a step in the right direction to support their brothers fighting their "primary enemy", Israel, others fear the consequences. For them, this escalation carries terrifying echoes of the past, specifically the severe Israeli air strikes that previously targeted Houthi-controlled areas and the leadership in Sanaa. ‘Honourable stance’ Ahmed Al-Faqeeh, a 48-year-old Sanaa resident, believes that Muslims are living through a difficult time and must put aside their disputes to unite against Israel, which has been killing his coreligionists in Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “As a Yemeni, I’m proud of this step by Ansar Allah, who didn’t leave our brothers in Palestine, Lebanon and Iran behind, but have been doing their best to participate in this battle of honour,” Al-Faqeeh told Middle East Eye. ‘As a Yemeni, I’m proud of this step by Ansar Allah, who didn’t leave our brothers in Palestine, Lebanon and Iran behind’ - Ahmed Al-Faqeeh, food distributor Al-Faqeeh, who works as a food distributor, has no political affiliation and does not support the Houthis or any other faction. However, he stated that when he sees what is happening in Palestine, he believes that “all Muslims have a role in this war”. “It isn’t in accordance with Islam or humanity to see our brothers being subjected to genocide and remain silent,” he added. “All Muslim countries have a duty and must participate in this fight against the primary enemy of Muslims, Israel.” Al-Faqeeh added that he has taken action at an individual level, by stopping buying commodities made by Israeli-affiliated companies. This, he said, is his personal duty and he is happy his country is doing its part. He still remembers the August 2025 Israeli air strikes in Sanaa that came as a consequence of Yemen's previous intervention to oppose Israel genocidal war in Gaza. While several ministers, including the premier, and civilians were killed in those strikes, he believes that should not deter Ansar Allah from further involvement. Israel-Palestine war: On board the cargo ship seized by Yemen's Houthis Read More » “The intervention by Ansar Allah in 2023 made a real impact, which caused Israel to frantically target everywhere. We are happy and proud of that development, which wasn’t matched by other countries that are only watching the genocide and keeping silent,” he said. The Houthis targeted several Israeli-affiliated ships in 2023 and seized the vessel Galaxy Leader, along with its 25-member crew. In January 2025, the crew was released following Omani-led mediation. Al-Faqe