The 29th day of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran brought a dangerous new front as Houthi forces fired their first ballistic missile at Israel since the war began. Overnight strikes targeted a major water source in western Iran, raising humanitarian alarm.
Twenty-nine days into the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, the conflict showed no signs of narrowing. Friday brought a significant escalation: for the first time since the war began on February 28, Houthi forces fired a ballistic missile at Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces intercepted the missile with no reported injuries, but the attack confirmed what analysts had warned — the war's blast radius was widening well beyond Iran's borders.
Overnight, US-Israeli strikes targeted a major water source in Haftgel, in western Iran's Khuzestan province — home to some of the country's most critical oil infrastructure. The targeting of civilian water supply drew immediate condemnation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who called it a potential violation of the laws of armed conflict. The Iranian Red Crescent, which has been tracking casualties since the campaign's first night, put the total death toll at a minimum of 1,900 people as of Friday morning.
Iran war · Houthis · Israel
Friday's bombardment was among the most intense since the opening salvo. Explosions were recorded in northeastern, western, central, and eastern Tehran simultaneously — a pattern that military analysts at the Institute for the Study of War described as designed to overwhelm Iranian air defense coordination. Iran's acting government said its air defenses had intercepted "the majority" of incoming projectiles, but independent observers reported significant impact craters in the capital's residential districts.
“Friday's bombardment was among the most intense since the opening salvo.”
Iranian forces responded with what the IDF confirmed was the 7th missile barrage directed at Israel in a single day — an extraordinary tempo of fire. All missiles were intercepted. The IDF's Arrow and Iron Dome systems have performed well throughout the campaign, but the sheer volume of launches is raising questions about long-term munitions sustainability on both sides. Analysts at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that Iran's missile stockpile, estimated at 3,000+ ballistic missiles before February 28, has been degraded but not exhausted.
Key Takeaways
→Iran war: The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, fired its first ballistic missile at Israel on March 28, 2026, apparently viewing the US-Israel campaign against Iran as either an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity or a strategic obligation.
→Houthis: The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, fired its first ballistic missile at Israel on March 28, 2026, apparently viewing the US-Israel campaign against Iran as either an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity or a strategic obligation.
→Israel: The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, fired its first ballistic missile at Israel on March 28, 2026, apparently viewing the US-Israel campaign against Iran as either an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity or a strategic obligation.
→US military: The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, fired its first ballistic missile at Israel on March 28, 2026, apparently viewing the US-Israel campaign against Iran as either an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity or a strategic obligation.
The Houthi entry into the war is the week's most strategically significant development. Yemen's Houthi movement, which had been largely quiet since the ceasefire brokered in late 2024, apparently made the calculation that the Iran war created an opportunity — or an obligation — to demonstrate solidarity with Tehran. The group has access to long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israeli territory, and has used them before during the Gaza conflict. Security officials in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are watching closely: a more active Houthi campaign could renew pressure on Red Sea shipping lanes already battered by the Hormuz closure.
Iran war · Houthis · Israel
On the nuclear question, Iran's acting government categorically denied any radioactive leak following US-Israeli strikes on two nuclear facilities earlier this week. The International Atomic Energy Agency has requested access to conduct on-site verification; Tehran has not yet responded formally. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that "independent verification remains essential and urgent."
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Secretary of State Rubio maintained a posture of confidence, telling reporters that the war's objectives would be achieved "in the next couple of weeks." That timeline, if accurate, implies a further intensification rather than a wind-down. Vance echoed the message, saying the campaign would continue "a little while longer." Neither official addressed the Houthi escalation directly in public remarks.
The economic transmission of the conflict remains brutal. Al Jazeera reported that Brent crude, which pierced $126 per barrel earlier this month, is holding elevated as the Hormuz closure drags into its fourth week. The IEA's designation of the strait's closure as "the greatest global energy and food security challenge in history" reflects the scale: 20 percent of global oil, plus significant liquefied natural gas exports from Qatar, all normally transit through those 21 miles of water.
The Houthi entry into the conflict introduces new risk to Red Sea shipping and could further disrupt maritime insurance rates — already up sharply since February. For consumers, elevated energy costs are filtering into food prices, transportation, and industrial goods. For anyone with money in energy stocks, the risk picture has sharpened: de-escalation could come fast if diplomacy via Pakistan gains traction, but the Houthi wildcard makes a quick settlement harder to price. Watch the next IDF response to Houthi territory — any strike on Yemen by Israel or the US would mark a material widening of the war's geography.
The coming 72 hours are a critical window. Trump's April 6 Hormuz deadline gives a fixed timeframe, but events on the ground — particularly Houthi activity and any further nuclear facility strikes — may dictate pace faster than diplomatic schedules allow.
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#Iran war#Houthis#Israel#US military#Strait of Hormuz#Middle East conflict#oil prices#humanitarian crisis#Tehran strikes#water infrastructure
The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, fired its first ballistic missile at Israel on March 28, 2026, apparently viewing the US-Israel campaign against Iran as either an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity or a strategic obligation. The missile was intercepted by the IDF with no injuries reported.
What did US-Israeli strikes hit in Iran on March 28?
Overnight strikes targeted a major water source in Haftgel in western Iran's Khuzestan province, drawing UN condemnation. Simultaneous bombardment was recorded across northeastern, western, central, and eastern Tehran.
How many people have been killed in Iran since the war began?
The Iranian Red Crescent reported a minimum of 1,900 deaths as of March 28, 2026, since the US-Israel campaign began on February 28. The figure covers civilian and military casualties but is considered a floor, not a ceiling.
Is there a radioactive leak from Iran's nuclear facilities?
Iran's acting government denied any radioactive leak following strikes on two nuclear facilities. The IAEA has requested on-site access for independent verification; Tehran had not formally responded as of March 28.
How does the Houthi escalation affect global shipping?
A more active Houthi campaign could renew attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes already under pressure from the Hormuz closure. Maritime insurance rates have spiked since February, and any new Houthi strikes on commercial vessels would compound supply chain disruptions.
