What can Israel do today in response to the Houthi threat that took effect at midnight?
Before even discussing a war plan to overthrow the Houthi regime (which in my opinion should already have been prepared), there are several declarative actions that Israel can (and should) take immediately.
After the Houthis officially declared that they had “imposed a blockade” on Israel, Israel now has, at the very least, full legitimacy to respond in kind.
Israel should officially declare that it is imposing a blockade on the Houthis in Yemen.
Any ship intending to dock at Houthi-controlled ports or any ship departing from a Houthi-controlled port should now be considered a legitimate Israeli target.
Any aircraft landing at Houthi airports should be considered a legitimate target.
Any commercial company transporting goods to or from Houthi-controlled territories should face economic sanctions (I believe President Trump would support such an action, which he seems to favor).
As you can see in the attached map, the Houthis (marked in red) are surrounded on all sides by land. Their only outlet to the world is their seaports (mainly Hodeida) and airports.
An Israeli threat backed by an American statement could certainly lead to an effective blockade on the Houthis without the need for significant military action.
Moreover, Israel’s deterrence capabilities in the region have improved dramatically over the past few months, so many will think twice before testing Israel’s resolve, especially since the Houthis’ backing – Iran – is currently experiencing a significant decline in power and deterrence.
It shouldn’t be too complicated to cut them off from external supplies entirely – just like Israel does in Gaza. Why should there be a difference in how aggression is handled?
The Houthis have tied their fate to Gaza; their fate should be the same.
