Kathmandu. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a missile attack on Israel, raising concerns about the impact of global trade.

The Houthi group claimed on Saturday that it fired missiles at “sensitive military sites” in southern Israel. However, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen.

An Israeli military spokesman said the country was prepared for the possibility of a multilateral war. The Houthis are considered important allies in Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’. The group controls Yemen’s capital Sanaa and large northern territory and has been waging a civil war against the internationally recognised government since 2014.

The Houthis, who had been silent for nearly a month after the United States and Israel launched their attacks on Iran, have now entered the war directly. Analysts say the Houthis’ crackdown could further disrupt international shipping and energy supplies. It is also likely to have a negative impact on the global economy.

The Houthi has warned the United States and Israel not to use their territory to attack Iran. They have also indicated that they will take more drastic measures if necessary. In the past, the Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks targeting merchant ships, causing major disruption of international shipping systems.

According to experts, if regional tensions escalate further, energy markets, shipping and global trade could be severely affected.