Yemen's Houthis join West Asia war, fire missile at Israel
What's the story
The Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis have confirmed their first attack on Israel since the outbreak of hostilities. The group launched a ballistic missile at southern Israel on Saturday morning, triggering alarms in Beersheba and surrounding areas, The Times of Israel reported. In a statement, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said targeted "sensitive Israeli military sites" with multiple ballistic missiles.
Presidential criticism
Donald Trump slams NATO over Iran
United States President Donald Trump has expressed disappointment with NATO's handling of the Iran conflict. He slammed the alliance, calling it a "paper tiger," and said that while they help NATO, it never helps them, news agency Reuters reported. This comes as tensions rise between Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other in West Asia.
Rising casualties
Middle East war kills over 5,000
Since the war started on February 28, 2026, over 5,000 people have been killed across the Middle East. The conflict has spread to at least 14 countries and killed more than 350 children. The US and Israel's initial strike on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks from Iran on Israel and US bases in allied states.
Escalating conflict
US-Israeli strikes hit Iran
Iran has suffered the heaviest losses in the conflict, with US-Israeli strikes killing at least 1,900 people and injuring 20,000, as per the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent. The Lebanese health ministry reported over 1,100 deaths due to Israeli attacks since early March. Lebanon has also emerged as a new front in the war, with Hezbollah launching attacks on Israel.
Diplomatic efforts
Marco Rubio says no ground troops
Marco Rubio has said that Washington can achieve its objectives without deploying ground troops. He added that the conflict could end in "weeks, not months." Meanwhile, President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed hope for talks with Iran soon. Meanwhile, Al-Araby TV reported that the Houthis have threatened to block the passage of Israeli ships through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Iranian response
Iranian FM Araghchi warns 'heavy price'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, steel factories, and power plants. He said these attacks violate Trump's 10-day pause on targeting Iran's energy infrastructure. However, Iran denies seeking any pause and rules out negotiations. Araghchi warned Tehran would impose a "heavy price" after Israeli strikes targeted what he described as civilian nuclear sites, steel factories, and infrastructure.