Israel Katz Threatens Houthis With Biblical Plagues After Multiple Missile Attacks

The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen has launched multiple ballistic missile attacks against Israel in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that killed the Houthi prime minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet ministers in the capital, Sanaa. Over a 24-hour period, the Houthis fired three missiles at Israel, two of which were intercepted, with one carrying a cluster bomb warhead—the second such use recently—while the third missile fell short outside Israeli territory without causing injuries. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded with a series of posts on X threatening a response involving "all ten biblical plagues," referencing the biblical plagues from the Exodus story, signaling a strong stance against the attacks. The Houthis, whose slogan includes calls for death to America and Israel, began attacking Israel and related maritime traffic in late 2023, temporarily ceasing fire during a ceasefire in early 2025 but have since resumed their attacks following the killing of their leadership. The Israeli Defense Forces have urged the public to remain vigilant due to the presence of unexploded ordnance and unidentified objects, emphasizing caution. These developments highlight escalating tensions in the region following targeted Israeli strikes on Houthi leadership and continued missile and drone attacks by the group.