Palestinian Sources: Senior Hamas and Houthis Officials Meet to Coordinate 'Action Against Israel'

Palestinian sources told AFP on Friday that senior figures from Hamas and Yemen's Houthi rebels held an important and unprecedented meeting to discuss coordinating their actions; actions aimed at preparing for the 'next phase' of the Gaza battle against Israel. According to the Times of Israel, sources from Hamas and Islamic Jihad reported that leaders of the two 'terrorist' Palestinian Islamist groups held a 'significant meeting' with representatives of the Houthis last week. These Palestinian sources, who requested anonymity, stated that Hamas and the Houthis discussed 'mechanisms to coordinate their resistance actions' for the 'next phase' of the war in Gaza. Sources who wished to remain unnamed indicated that the Palestinian groups and the Houthis also discussed a potential Israeli ground attack on Rafah in southern Gaza, and the Houthis pledged to continue their attacks on Red Sea vessels to 'support the Palestinian resistance.' Hamas and the Houthis belong to the 'Resistance Axis,' a coalition of militant movements aligned with the Islamic Republic in confrontation with Israel and the U.S., which also includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraqi militias. Since the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas following the October 7 attack by the Hamas terrorist group, the Houthis have targeted Red Sea vessels, claiming to target ships linked to Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Notably, General Michael Kurilla, the senior commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), stated on March 9 during a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting that 'the Islamic Republic has turned the Middle East into a 'hotbed of crises,' and the key to deterrence is for Tehran to understand that this behavior has severe consequences for them.' The CENTCOM commander added, 'The Islamic Republic has destabilized the Middle East by providing military support to Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen, placing the region in the most unstable state in the last 50 years by operationalizing all of its proxy militia forces in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.' The White House told Voice of America: Reports about the Houthis being equipped with hypersonic missiles are incorrect. The Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles; CENTCOM reported no damage or casualties. The U.S. and Britain requested the UN to prevent the shipment of Iranian missiles to the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthi leader threatened: Our attacks will also expand to the waters of the Indian Ocean. Claims by the Russian state news agency: The Houthis currently possess 'hypersonic missiles.' An explosion occurred near a ship in southeastern Aden. The Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile; CENTCOM reported that four drones were destroyed.