In a dramatic escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has threatened to unleash the 10 biblical plagues of Egypt on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, as missile and drone attacks between the two sides intensify. The threat, issued on Thursday, September 4, 2025, via social media platform X, comes amid a flurry of military exchanges following the assassination of Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi and several senior officials in an Israeli airstrike last week.
According to AFP, Katz’s message was unambiguous: “The Houthis are firing missiles at Israel again. A plague of darkness, a plague of the firstborn – we will complete all 10 plagues.” This biblical reference, drawn from the Book of Exodus, signals a dramatic rhetorical escalation as both sides brace for further conflict. The Houthis, a powerful Iran-backed faction controlling much of Yemen, have vowed vengeance for the targeted killing of their leaders and have resumed missile attacks against Israel.
On Thursday, the Israeli army reported that a missile fired from Yemen struck outside Israeli territory, while just the day before, two Houthi missiles were intercepted by Israeli defense systems. Earlier in the week, on Monday, September 1, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on the Israeli-owned oil tanker Scarlet Ray in the Red Sea. The vessel, though hit, was reportedly undamaged and continued its journey, as confirmed by Defense Line and other regional outlets.
This latest round of violence is rooted in the broader regional fallout from the Gaza war, which erupted in October 2023. The Houthis have positioned themselves as staunch supporters of the Palestinians, launching numerous drone and missile attacks against Israel and targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea—a vital artery for global trade. Their campaign has not only threatened Israeli interests but also disrupted international navigation, drawing in the United States and other global powers concerned about maritime security.
Earlier in 2025, the United States responded to Houthi attacks on shipping by launching airstrikes against Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen. These strikes were halted after a ceasefire brokered by Oman in May, though crucially, the agreement did not extend to Houthi operations against Israel. As a result, the group continued its attacks, prompting Israel to conduct its own strikes in Yemen, targeting Houthi-held ports and the rebel-controlled capital, Sanaa.
The Israeli airstrike that killed Prime Minister al-Rahawi and at least nine of his ministers marked a significant blow to the Houthi leadership. According to the IDF, the strike targeted a military facility used by the Houthis' top command and resulted in the deaths of 12 senior officials, including both military figures and government ministers involved in orchestrating attacks against Israel. IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated that the Houthis had embedded their military operations within civilian infrastructure and accused them of diverting an estimated $1.5 billion to military buildup and terror operations at the expense of Yemen’s civilian population.
Defrin further described the Houthis as a key proxy of Iran, emphasizing that Tehran provides both funding and weapons for attacks not only against Israel but other countries in the region as well. The IDF maintains that the Houthis’ ongoing operations in the Red Sea are intended to disrupt international commercial shipping and undermine freedom of navigation, with potentially broad economic consequences.
In the wake of the airstrike, the Houthi leadership has been thrown into disarray. According to reports from Asharq Al-Awsat, there is widespread confusion and panic among Houthi leaders, with several top officials—including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, Abdul Karim al-Houthi, Abu Ali al-Hakim, and Ahmad Hamed—missing for days. Eyewitnesses in Sanaa described convoys carrying families and Houthi supervisors leaving central and northern districts, as commanders were instructed to vacate their posts and homes and relocate to the north, avoiding government buildings and other public locations that could become targets for further Israeli strikes.
The fate of the Houthi chief military commander and defense minister remains unknown, and Yemeni opposition sources suggest that information on other key figures is being tightly controlled. Despite the leadership vacuum, the Houthis have sought to project unity and resolve. On Monday, a mass funeral was held in Sanaa for Prime Minister al-Rahawi and the slain ministers, with at least 11 coffins lined up at Al-Sabeen Square. Crowds gathered, chanting “Death to Israel!” in a display of defiance and solidarity with Gaza, as reported by local and international media.
During the funeral, newly appointed Houthi Prime Minister Mohammed Miftah offered condolences to the families of the deceased, praising their efforts to restructure the government and vowing that the group would not retreat in its support for Gaza. In a statement broadcast by Houthi media, the rebels’ Supreme Political Council President Mahdi al-Mashat reiterated Yemen’s steadfast stance: “Yemen will not change its steadfast stance on national issues and its support for our brothers in Gaza, no matter the cost.”
The Houthis’ continued attacks have kept both Israel and the international community on edge. The group’s ability to target Israeli territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea underscores its military capabilities and the reach of its Iranian backers. At the same time, Israel’s willingness to strike deep into Yemen and target high-ranking officials signals a new phase in the conflict—one that risks further destabilizing an already volatile region.
For Israel, the threat from Yemen is part of a broader pattern of regional challenges, with Iranian proxies operating in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and now Yemen. The explicit biblical language used by Defence Minister Katz may be intended to rally domestic support and send a message of deterrence, but it also raises the stakes in a conflict that shows little sign of abating.
Meanwhile, ordinary Yemenis continue to bear the brunt of the violence. The diversion of resources to military operations, as highlighted by the IDF, has come at a steep cost for a population already suffering from years of war, poverty, and humanitarian crisis. With the Houthis embedding military assets in civilian areas, the risk of further civilian casualties remains high.
As both sides dig in, the prospect of a wider confrontation looms. Regional observers warn that the Houthis may broaden their list of targets to include homes and offices of senior Israeli officials, a move that could provoke even harsher Israeli reprisals. With the fate of several Houthi leaders still unknown and the group’s command structure under strain, the coming weeks may prove decisive in determining the trajectory of this escalating conflict.
For now, the Middle East watches anxiously as the cycle of retaliation continues, each side vowing not to back down. The shadow of the biblical plagues invoked by Israel’s defence minister hangs over the region, a stark reminder of how ancient narratives can still shape—and inflame—modern conflicts.