Until the turn of the millennium, almost no one paid attention to this radical Shiite faction in Yemen. The Houthis originated in Zaydism, a branch of Shiite Islam that settled in the north of Yemen back in the 9th century. Yahya bin al Hussein insisted on a Zaydi caliphate of his own.
Rescuers said a 7-year-old girl in a Bedouin Arab town was seriously wounded in southern Israel, apparently in a missile strike, though they said police were still investigating the circumstances of her injuries.
Interceptions were observed overnight (between Saturday and Sunday) in widespread areas across the north, south, Dead Sea region, Jerusalem, Eilat and Samaria. This came minutes after the Israeli military spokesman confirmed that the Iranians had launched missiles among other munitions.
The Iranians have several direct and indirect means at their disposal to carry out a painful blow that would reverberate in Jerusalem.
A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the country's Channel 12 News that the Iranian drones were equipped with 20 kg (44 pounds) of explosives each. Israel's military said sirens would sound in any threatened areas and that its defenses were poised to deal with them.
