Sources within the Israel Defense Forces said they are surprised that the Houthi movement in Yemen has not yet joined the ongoing regional conflict involving Israel and Iran. Military officials had expected the Houthis to launch attacks either after the reported assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or when Hezbollah entered the fighting earlier this week.

Defense officials are speculating that the Houthis may be refraining from involvement because the United States is now directly engaged in the conflict. Another assessment suggests the group may view Iran as too weakened to provide meaningful support at this stage.

Despite their current restraint, Israeli defense sources believe the Houthis could still decide to enter the conflict. The group was the most persistent among Iran's regional allies during the 2023 to 2025 war, continuing attacks on Israel until the permanent ceasefire with Hamas in October 2025.