Abdel-Malik al-Houthi was resolute. The leader of the Yemeni Houthirebels said there was a "new stage of escalation" and he was "very happy" about the "direct battle" with Israel. A Houthi spokesperson said that there would be no "red lines" in the response against Israel, marking the readiness for confrontation.

On Friday last week, the Houthis launched a drone attack and were able to hit Tel Aviv from Yemen, despite the distance of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles). One person was killed in the explosion and eight were injured. In retaliation, Israel sent fighter jets to strike military targets near the port of Hodeida in western Yemen. According to Israeli media reports, the air strikes targeted oil facilities and a power station. The Houthi-run health ministry said that there had been several casualties. The Houthi rebels then targeted the Red Sea resort of Eilat. Israel said it had intercepted a ballistic missile.

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The Houthis derive from a tribal group out of northern Yemen, near the border with Saudi Arabia. They are Shiite Muslims, but they belong to a specific branch called the Zaydi Shiites.

As such, they have beliefs that set them apart from mainstream Shiite Muslims. For instance, they do not believe in the return........

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