Houthis say they are joining Iran war: can they make any difference?

The US and Israel are preparing for a renewed wave of Houthi attacks on American shipping and Israeli territory, following the US nuclear strikes in Iran, as the Iran-backed group announced it had officially entered the war.

The Houthis' official X account posted in Hebrew on Sunday morning, warning Israelis to “leave the country immediately”, with a video of a missile launching and scenes of destruction in Israel from Iran’s recent missile attacks.

Houthis recently brokered a ceasefire with the Trump administration and agreed to cease attacks on US ships and assets in the Red Sea region. In the early hours of Sunday, the ceasefire was over.

"We will officially enter the war - keep your ships away from our territorial waters," an announcement from the group said.

The Houthis had been waging a maritime blockade since the early weeks of the Gaza war in 2023, in what it says is allegiance with the Palestinians in Gaza.

An Israeli intelligence source told Iran International that given the complexity of striking US assets, the Houthis, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US and others, are more likely to target Israel first.

'Not a big deal'

“It’s a bit early to say but the Houthis would prefer to target Israel first, it’s less complex at this stage, but it’s hard to tell. The next 24 hours will be revealing,” he said.

“There is no major threat from the Houthis,” the intelligence source added. “They’re limited in their capability and while they will try to retaliate for the current situation, it is not a big deal.”

The Israeli military says that more than 40 surface-to-surface missiles have been fired towards Israel since the Gaza war began, with one barely missing Israel’s biggest airport, Ben Gurion, just weeks ago.

Another 320 UAVs had been fired towards Israel, over 100 of which intercepted with two effective hits as of January data. The remainder fell in open areas, failed to reach Israeli territory or caused no significant damage.

Yemeni military journalist Rashid Maarouf, based in Marib city, told Iran International on Sunday that the Houthis' next steps will depend on the extent of the impact of the American strikes on Iran's nuclear reactors.

Targeting Arab nations

He also agrees the group's capabilities are limited. “They are launching missiles at Israel, but the Houthis' missiles are limited. They do not have a large number to launch a large salvo like Iran does. Even if the Houthis struck Israel, they would not be able to strike with more than two to three missiles a day.”

Abdul Basit Al-Baher, the spokesman for Yemen's military in the governorate of Taiz, told Iran International: "The Houthis are in the crosshairs of the US-Iranian escalation, between the tool and the victim."

He says the US attacks on Iran will require the Houthis to launch new attacks on American or associated ships, using drones or missiles, in an attempt to divert attention from the US strike on Iran and to pressure Washington to halt any potential escalation against Tehran.

It may also trigger attacks on Saudi or Emirati targets, the two nations strong US allies, Al-Baher said.

"They are expected to attempt to expand the scope of the confrontation by targeting Arab coalition countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, to send a message that any targeting of Iran will destabilize the entire region," he said.

He warns that the most dangerous scenario would be full engagement in a "proxy war", Iran activating its regional military allies.

"If Iran decides to respond forcefully, it may use the Houthis as an offensive force against Western interests in the Red Sea," he said, including special attacks on commercial and military vessels or even an attempt to threaten oil and energy corridors."