More recently, the Houthi rebel group in Yemen has escalated its missile strikes on Israel. They just test fired a new hypersonic ballistic missile named “Palestine 2” at a military target in the Jaffa region. That latest round of missile fire is an indication of a major turning point in the war continuing between Israel and Hamas. It forced Israel to temporarily close down Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s only international airport. Given the circumstances surrounding this incident, it raises grave concerns over Israel’s capability and effectiveness in protecting itself from these advanced missile threats.
The Houthis have made the ludicrous claim that their hypersonic missiles are equipped with stealth technology, enabling them to dodge radar. They assert these missiles could reach at least 2,150 kilometers (1,335 miles). In addition to their deadly handy-dandy, quick-turny skills, they can travel at speeds of Mach 16! This technical capability underscores the far-seeing ways in which missile warfare is fundamentally changing. It introduces a new wrinkle to Israel’s world-famous missile defense systems.
In recent months, the Houthis have intensified their missile attacks on Israel. They’re doing this out of solidarity for the Palestinian cause, for the broader war with Hamas that is starting to emerge. This missile launch comes on the heels of a deadly drone attack in Tel Aviv, claimed by the Houthis. That would be their first blow against the city. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree later announced that the missile targeting Ben Gurion Airport was indeed a hypersonic ballistic missile. This is a testament to their growing confidence in their military prowess.
Israel’s most forceful response to this latest non-attack has been to escalate its military action against Houthi positions in Yemen. To justify these attacks, the Israeli military has conducted several retaliatory strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure. Their targets ranged from a power plant to maritime ports—all focused on reducing the group’s economic power and operational capabilities. However, even with these advanced systems, there should be serious questions regarding Israel’s ability to intercept such advanced missile technology.
“The American and Israeli defense systems failed to intercept the missile aimed at Ben Gurion Airport,” – Yahya Saree
This latest missile launch is just one piece of an alarming pattern. As recently as December 2022 the Houthis have attacked Israel with missiles, such as an attack that hit near Tel Aviv and injured over a hundred civilians. The sophistication and the sheer number of these attacks is clearly concerning. They express doubts about Israel’s capacity to respond on several fronts in its constantly simmering wars.
The Houthis are not just firing at Israel, they are attacking commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea. Their attacks have caused another layer of complexity to the already multifaceted international trade and security landscape. Together these actions taken by the groups show their playbook to establish domination in the region to take control. Their goal is to undermine Israeli and American interests alike.
We’ve asked several experts to share thoughts on the public policy implications of these significant changes. Bar Shalom, an Israeli military analyst, remarked on the precision of the Houthi missile strikes.
“They were very accurate, and to be very accurate if you’re launching from 2,000 kilometers, it’s impressive,” – Bar Shalom
He emphasized that Israel must act with the utmost seriousness against this threat. He proposed that recent attacks could be indicative of a different kind of threat, necessitating a rethinking of prevailing defense strategies.
“And you have to take this threat seriously. We have to check whether it’s our mistake or whether we have a new kind of threat here,” – Bar Shalom
With the deepening impact of the recent hostilities, Israeli officials have been forced to plan for different scenarios. As Israel Katz, a leading Israeli minister, said following the bombing that it was time to retaliate “with force against aggressors.”
“We will attack whoever attacks us sevenfold,” – Israel Katz
The Israeli-Houthi conflict today represents a scary time where that global battlefield has come to fruition, with Israel and Iran’s other proxies on opposing sides. As the situation continues to unfold, we can expect all regional and global powers to be watching closely what happens in this new conflict. The Houthis’ new advanced capabilities represent a dangerous threat not only to Israel but to Yemen, the region, and the entire international community.
