Sanaa, March 28 -- Yemen's Houthis on Sunday announced a "second military operation" targeting Israel in a significant escalation of the ongoing West Asia conflict, using a barrage of cruise missiles and drones against what it described as "vital and military sites" in southern occupied Palestine.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Yahya Saree, the Houthis' military spokesperson, said that the operation was launched as part of the "Holy Jihad Battle" and coincided with military actions by allied groups, including forces in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He added that the second operation "successfully achieved its objectives."

"Forces carried out the second military operation in the "Holy Jihad Battle" with a barrage of cruise missiles ...