TEHRAN - Yemen's armed forces have officially entered direct military conflict against the United States and Israel, announcing a formal intervention in support of Iran and the broader Axis of Resistance.

The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Saturday that they had carried out their first operation since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran a month ago, launching a barrage of ballistic missiles at "sensitive Israeli military sites" in southern occupied Palestine.

In a statement, the Yemeni military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, laid out the rationale for the intervention.

"In implementation of what was stated in the last statement of the Yemeni Armed Forces regarding direct military intervention in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance fronts in Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine, and in view of the continued military escalation, the targeting of infrastructure, and the perpetration of crimes and massacres against our brothers in Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine," General Saree said, "the Yemeni Armed Forces have carried out the first military operation using a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting sensitive Israeli military sites in southern occupied Palestine."

General Saree confirmed that the missile strike achieved its objectives and was coordinated with simultaneous operations carried out by Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He added that Yemen's military operations will continue "until the aggression against all fronts of the Resistance ceases."

The announcement followed weeks of American and Israeli strikes against Iran and its regional allies. On Friday, General Saree had warned that Yemen was prepared for direct military action if the attacks persisted. He also made clear that Yemen would not tolerate the use of the Red Sea for hostile operations against Iran or any Muslim nation, stating flatly, "We will not allow that."

This is not Yemen's first major military campaign in support of its allies in the Resistance. In 2024 and 2025, Yemen successfully shut the Red Sea to Israeli shipping and vessels bound for Israeli ports in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Through a sustained campaign of missile and drone strikes, Yemeni forces choked maritime access to Israel, forcing global shipping companies to abandon the Suez Canal route and divert vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. The campaign inflicted significant economic damage on Israel, disrupting supply chains and driving up insurance costs.

Now, as Yemen enters direct war alongside Iran, that same capability could be aimed at a far larger target: the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The strait is one of the most critical chokepoints in global energy trade. Located just off Yemen's coast, it is the passage through which Saudi Arabia currently exports approximately seven million barrels of oil per day.

Analysts believe there is a high chance Yemen will replicate what Iran has been doing at the Strait of Hormuz—prohibiting navigation for U.S., Israeli, and allied vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb.

Such a move would send further shocks through oil markets, which have already begun to affect prices inside the United States.