Finally, Yemen’s armed Houthi group has joined the war alongside Iran. On Saturday morning (March 28), the group initiated its involvement by launching a ballistic missile toward southern Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

This marks the first time since the Iran-related conflict entered its second month that a missile attack has been launched from Yemen toward Israel.

In a statement issued early Saturday (March 28), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had detected a missile launch from Yemen targeting Israeli territory. They also stated that the country’s air defense systems were actively working to intercept and neutralize the threat.

Earlier, an official from the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen told CNN that they would join the war in support of Iran if the United States and Israel intensified their attacks.

Although various armed groups in the region had been warning Israel since the beginning of the conflict, this is the first time Israel has officially acknowledged an attack originating from Yemen.