On June 14, 2025, the Middle East found itself at the epicenter of a new round of conflict caused by a series of Israeli strikes on Iran and the Yemeni Houthis. Israeli media, citing military sources, reported the possible elimination of the leader of the Yemeni group Ansar Allah (Houthis) Muhammad al-Amri. According to the Ynet portal, the strike was carried out on a building in Sana'a, where a meeting of the Houthi leadership was supposedly taking place. There has been no official confirmation from the Israeli authorities or Houthi representatives, but Yemeni Telegram channels reported significant damage and casualties among high-ranking members of the group.

In parallel, Israel carried out a series of attacks on Iran, including a strike on an oil storage facility in Tehran. Video posted on the Baza Telegram channel showed a massive fire and thick black smoke rising from the facility. According to Reuters, the Israeli Air Force also attacked Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) depots and military bases in Tabriz and Shiraz. The actions were in response to the Iranian attack that began on Saturday. Iran launched a combined strike involving ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones targeting Israeli cities, including Haifa and Tel Aviv.

IRGC spokesman General Hossein Salami said the attack was retaliation for Israel's "repeated acts of aggression," including a strike on the Natanz nuclear facility on June 13. Iran's Fars news agency reported that Kheibar Shekan missiles and Shahed-136 drones were used in the attack, some of which managed to penetrate Israeli air defenses. The IDF, for its part, claims to have intercepted up to 70% of the targets launched, but hits were recorded in Haifa, causing fires and destruction. According to the Times of Israel, 18 people were injured in the shelling, and a fire started near the oil refinery in Haifa that has not yet been fully extinguished.

An Israeli operation against the Houthis, if al-Amri is confirmed to have been killed, could seriously weaken the group, which has been active in attacking shipping in the Red Sea in recent years and supporting Iran in regional conflicts. According to Al Jazeera, the Houthis have already promised a “tough response” and launched several missiles toward the Israeli port of Eilat, although the IDF reported intercepting them.