ADEN — Hamas chief Yehya Sinwar congratulated Yemen's Houthi group for its missile attack on Israel over the weekend and said this sent a message to their foe, the Houthi Al-Massirah TV reported on Sept 16, underscoring fears the war in Gaza could erupt into a wider regional conflict.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control northern Yemen, on Sept 15 reached central Israel with a missile for the first time, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say Israel would inflict a "heavy price" on them.

The United States appeared dismissive of Houthi claims that it fired a difficult-to-intercept hypersonic missile, and Iran, its military supporter, denied transferring any hypersonic missiles to the country.

But the latest Houthi strike, and the threat of Israeli retaliation, were a reminder of how the nearly year-old war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel could still broaden into a full-blown regional conflict, despite American efforts to contain the crisis.

"I congratulate you on your success in reaching the depth of the enemy entity," Sinwar said in a letter to Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi.

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