The Israeli military said it had detected a missile fired from Yemen toward southern Israel, the first since the US-Israeli war with Iran began.
Meanwhile, the US is dispatching the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group to Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, ramping up military presence amid the ongoing operations against Iran.
Missile Launch from Yemen
The Israeli military said it had identified a missile launch from Yemen early Saturday morning and successfully intercepted it, with no injuries reported.
The ballistic missile threat triggered sirens across Beer Sheba and surrounding towns in southern Israel, including the area near Israel’s main nuclear research center, according to the Associated Press (AP).
This marks the first attack from Yemen since the war began on February 28, 2026. The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea in November 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians following Israel’s war on Gaza.
It also launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, triggering Israeli and US retaliatory strikes. However, the Houthis stopped these attacks following the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire agreement in October 2025.
Houthis Ready to Fight
The missile launch came hours after the Houthis announced their readiness to join the fight on behalf of Iran if the conflict escalates.
In a televised statement, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree affirmed that the Houthis‘ “fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention in any of the following cases.” These included “continuation of the escalation against the Islamic Republic and the Axis of Jihad and Resistance, as dictated by the theater of military operations.”
He also noted that the group will get involved if any new alliances join the US and Israel against Iran and its allies, or if the Red Sea is used for “hostile operations” against Iran.
Furthermore, the group’s spokesperson called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran and allied countries, including Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iraq. He also urged for the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The Houthis have the ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen, threatening key shipping lanes across the Red Sea and the Arabian Peninsula. Their involvement risks broadening the conflict and causing further chaos in global shipping amid traffic disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
Additional US Aircraft Carrier
The US military will deploy the Bush Carrier Strike Group, led by its flagship USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier, to CENTCOM‘s area of responsibility, which involves the Middle East and parts of Asia.
According to CBS News, citing multiple sources, the Bush carrier could potentially join the ongoing operations against Iran. Meanwhile, three guided-missile destroyers – the USS Ross, Donald Cook, and Mason – are currently on their way to join Operation Epic Fury after deploying from Norfolk and Florida this week.
The Bush Strike Group will boost the US naval presence in the Iran war zone, joining the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln which have been taking part in the ongoing operations against Iran.
However, the Ford aircraft carrier temporarily docked at a port in Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete after suffering a fire aboard. It remains unclear if the Bush carrier will join or replace either of the two US aircraft carriers already in the region.
Moreover, the Pentagon has deployed the amphibious assault ship, USS Tripoli, with thousands of Marines on board, amid reports of a potential ground operation in Iran.
Fear of Prolonged War
In addition to the Marines, the Pentagon will likely dispatch thousands of elite airborne soldiers to the region, raising fears of a ground invasion that could prolong the war.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Friday that Washington can achieve its objectives “without any ground troops.” He said that the US was sending some troops to the region “to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies, should they emerge.”
The US is awaiting Iran’s official response to a 15-point proposal, in a mediation effort led by Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye to end the month-long war. While US President Donald Trump extended his ultimatum on Hormuz until April 6, he warned that the war “is not finished yet.”
Speaking at the FII Summit in Miami on Friday, Trump noted that the US still has “another 3,554” targets left to hit in Iran. “That’ll be done pretty quickly,” he said.
