Iran-Backed Houthis Join War, Aim Missiles at Israel

Bloomberg's Jerusalem reporter Dan Williams said that Israel is trying not to give Houthi's a propaganda victory after the Iran-backed group launched two ballistic missiles at Israel on Saturday. It marks a widening of the war as Israel continues strikes on both Iran and Lebanon.

Houthi militants launched ballistic missiles at Israel on Saturday morning, marking their entry into the month-long Iran war that has already caused chaos in energy markets and killed thousands of people.

Some 3,500 sailors and Marines arrived in the region on an amphibious assault ship, according to the US military. Israel continued bombing Iran overnight and on Saturday, while Tehran stepped up strikes across the region and wounded more than a dozen American personnel in an attack on a Saudi base, according to multiple media reports.

The Yemen-based Houthis, who are supported by Iran, said they would continue operations until US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic and its proxy militant groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, cease. Later Saturday, the Houthis said they carried out a second military operating targets Israel with cruise missiles and drones.

Israel’s military said it identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward its territory, but did not immediately say if the projectile was intercepted. President Donald Trump lashed out at allies for not supporting the US war in Iran, arguing the US will not fight for their interests as they struggle to get jet fuel blocked from traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” he wrote in a social media post.

Trump specifically targeted France, writing in a separate post that the country had been “VERY UNHELPFUL” against Iran, a month after the US and Israel began a widespread bombing campaign that has damaged Iran’s military infrastructure and killed several key leaders.

“The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,” he wrote.

Trump told countries seeking the fuel to just “take it,” arguing the US had already weakened Iran enough.

“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” he wrote in.

“The hard part is done,” he said. “Go get your own oil.”

While the Iran war has severely disrupted global energy supplies, the pressure on aviation is particularly intense. Total jet fuel demand amounted to 7.8 million barrels a day last year, including kerosene — the base product, which is also used for heating — according to figures from the International Energy Agency.

Now, the effective closure of the Strait

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