Hamas sends congratulations to Houthis over Israel attack, amid fears of wider war

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar said the attack sent a clear message to the enemy and highlighted concerns that the war in Gaza could explode and spread into a wider conflict across the region.

Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File photo.

Houthi, an Iran-backed group that controls northern Yemen, launched its first successful missile attack against central Israel on Sunday, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say Israel would make the group pay "a heavy price".

The US has moved to deny the Houthis' claims of launching hypersonic missiles that are difficult to intercept, and Iran, a military aid provider to the Houthis, has denied providing any hypersonic missiles to the group.

However, the latest Houthi missile attack, as well as threats of retaliation from Israel, are reminders of the possibility that the nearly year-long war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel could still explode into a wider conflict across the region, despite US efforts to contain the crisis.

In a letter to Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, Sinwar wrote: "I would like to congratulate your organization on its success in achieving the capability to strike deep into enemy territory."

Mr. Sinwar is the leader of the Iran-backed Hamas organization in the war with Israel in Gaza, a war that has just entered its 12th month.

The leader of Hamas said that Israel's plan to eliminate this militia organization has failed.

"I assure you, the resistance is fine, we are prepared to fight a long war of attrition."

On Monday, the Houthis posted a nearly two-minute video of the Palestine 2 “supersonic” missile that was launched on Sunday at Israel. The word “supersonic” was written in red paint on the missile’s body.

This Yemeni organization claims the missile has a range of 2,150 km, with a speed of Mach 16, equivalent to 16 times the speed of sound.

"This missile is capable of outperforming the newest and most powerful air defense systems in the world, including Iron Dome," the organization said.

However, the Pentagon said it had concluded that the Houthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel.

If the Houthis do indeed have a hypersonic missile, it would be the first technological achievement for an organization long known only for its daring combat capabilities.

Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iran's missile program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), denied the Houthi claims and said that the videos and images posted by the Houthis showed that the weapon was an Iranian-made Kheibar Shekan missile.

Hinz said that this Iranian missile is a solid-fuel missile, and is a medium-range ballistic missile that the Houthis announced in 2022 under the name Hatem.

An Israeli military official said the missile was intercepted and broke into pieces in the air. Pieces of the missile landed in several fields and near a railway station. There were no immediate reports of casualties, but nine people suffered minor injuries as they sought shelter.

Nguyen Quang Minh

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/hamas-gui-loi-chuc-mung-houthi-ve-vu-tan-cong-israel-giua-lo-ngai-ve-chien-tranh-lan-rong-204240917102159376.htm