On the night of March 16, a rocket launched from Yemen by the Ansar Allah group, better known as the Houthis, fell near the popular resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. The crash site is approximately 200 kilometers south of the Israeli resort of Eilat, causing concern in the region. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has launched an investigation into whether Israel was the target of the attack, but there is currently no definitive information to confirm this. The difficulty in obtaining reliable information is due to the remoteness of the region and the lack of immediate official statements from the parties involved in the conflict.

The incident occurred hours after the US Air Force launched massive airstrikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen. The attack was in response to the group’s increasing attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which the Houthis call part of a “maritime boycott” of Israel. US President Donald Trump said on March 15 that he had ordered “massive strikes” on Houthi positions, stressing that this was only the beginning of a series of operations aimed at weakening the group’s military capabilities. That evening, US aircraft attacked targets in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, including weapons depots, launchers and control systems. According to the Pentagon, the operation was aimed at protecting international trade routes through which up to 15% of global trade passes.

The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly threatened to resume missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory, citing their support for the Palestinian Hamas movement in the conflict with Israel. In this regard, the Israeli Air Force was put on maximum alert last week, which underlines the seriousness of the perception of the threat by Tel Aviv. Experts note that the fall of a missile in the Sinai Peninsula, even if Israel was not the direct target, could be used by the Houthis as a demonstration of their ability to threaten not only sea routes but also land targets in the region.

Meanwhile, Egypt, where the incident occurred, has not yet made an official statement regarding the consequences of the missile fall. However, local media reports that the country's authorities have stepped up security measures in the area of ​​Sharm el-Sheikh, a popular tourist destination, to avoid panic among vacationers.