The Houthis, who have been in a strong position in the civil war in Yemen since 2021, have sought to use the window of opportunity opened by the war in Gaza to expand their regional footprint. They are now the only pole of the ‘axis’ standing,

Israel is signaling a wider campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, a mountainous and impoverished country more than 1,000 miles from Israeli territory.

Israel struck multiple targets in Yemen it said were controlled by Houthis, the last of the Iran-backed groups still fully engaged in the regional war that began 14 months ago.