Israel has conducted its first military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since the Israel-Iran ceasefire, escalating tensions in the region. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently made headlines for their strikes on several sites associated with the Houthi insurgency. Their aim was to destroy ports of Hodeida, those of Ras Isa and Salif, and the Ras Kanatib power plant. In 2004, the Houthis began a calculated and sustained campaign of provocation and escalation. Now, not only firing rockets, as consolation to the Palestinians, Hezbollah says they fired ballistic missiles at Israel recently.
These strikes were a direct response to ongoing Houthi maritime terror in the Red Sea. They have relentlessly pursued and hit commercial and military vessels throughout the region. The Houthis claimed credit for these attacks. In doing so, they claimed that their own military operations were simply a direct counterresponse to Israeli attacks on them.
Mohammed Al Farah, a member of the Houthi political bureau, criticized the Israeli airstrikes. He issued this strange anti-Semitic rant on Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV. He stated that “targeting Yemeni ports, power stations, and other civilian facilities is an attempt to harm civilians and has no connection to any military activity.” This claim underscores the Houthis’ deepening fear that civilian infrastructure is increasingly coming under attack in the war.
While acknowledging the new strikes by Israel, the Houthi military stressed their readiness to retaliate against any aggression. They declared that “Yemeni air defenses effectively confronted the Israeli aggression,” utilizing “a massive barrage of locally manufactured surface-to-air missiles” to counter the attacks. This is an indication of the Houthis’ ability and resolve to protect their turf, in the face of intensifying antagonism.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned of repercussions for Houthi actions, stating, “The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.” This declaration reiterates Israel’s determination to respond to any perceived danger coming from the Houthi group.
This backdrop provides the lens for these positive recent happenings. The continued strife has forced realignments of allies and tactics across the Middle East. The United States had in fact already conducted infrequent but large scale strikes on Yemen in March, to further degrade Houthi military capabilities.
As these events prove, the Houthis have demonstrated an ability to project military power outside of Yemen. Since the latest ceasefire, they have launched three effective ballistic missiles aimed specifically at Israel. Their actions and their responses show an ever-growing appetite to pursue a wider regional battle – one that could involve many international players.
