Israel is weighing a significant and unprecedented military strike against Houthi forces in Yemen following continued missile launches aimed at Tel Aviv, according to reports in Israel’s mainstream media. On Wednesday evening, air raid sirens sounded in Ashkelon after a drone was detected infiltrating from the east. The IDF said that the drone that penetrated the Ashkelon area took off from Yemen and fell in an open area.
Yemen has launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel. These are not the Israeli-backed terrorists imposed in Syria, who don’t even throw a stone at Israel. Rather, these are the brave and faithful people of Yemen, who stand with the oppressed people of Gaza.??? pic.twitter.com/YUFWBY3YuE
— ZAINABZEHRA (@ZAINABALI_72) December 25, 2024
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated this week: “We will not tolerate the Houthis’ continued attacks on the State of Israel, and we will address the Houthi leadership in Sanaa and throughout Yemen.”
Eliminating the group’s leadership remains one of the options under consideration, aligned with a policy that suggests if attacks from Yemen on Israel are indiscriminate, the Israeli response may be similarly forceful.
Alongside targeted assassinations, News12 reported this week that additional strategies are being weighed. The report highlighted the Houthis’ concerns that Israeli airstrikes might target areas of tension with the Aden government army, potentially enabling their rivals within Yemen to capture strategic territories.
Air Force Commander Tomer Bar stated that his forces, which maintain complete air superiority over the skies of the Middle East, will continue to escalate and intensify their attacks on the Houthis in Yemen as needed. “We have struck the Houthis three times, and we will increase the frequency of our attacks if required,” he affirmed.
The deliberations come amid heightened regional tensions and growing concerns over the Houthis’ ability to disrupt security and stability across the broader Middle East.
Israeli media outlets have indicated that the Netanyahu cabinet is discussing the possibility of a fourth military operation targeting Houthi assets. The security establishment, meanwhile, is said to be formulating concrete plans for such an offensive, with the Intelligence Division working to broaden its list of potential targets. Observers suggest that any forthcoming strike could be more intense than previous operations.
Aftermath of last night’s Israeli attack on the Haziz power station in Yemen pic.twitter.com/cQOHuPKGot
— Dissident Media (@DissidentMedia) December 19, 2024
Israel faces substantial challenges in mounting an effective campaign against the Houthis. Chief among them is a persistent intelligence gap—not due to neglect by Israel’s intelligence services, including Mossad, but rather because resources have been heavily focused on other high-priority fronts, such as Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Gaza. Another complicating factor is the geographic distance, which makes any potential military operation in Yemen logistically challenging and financially costly.
According to Yediot Aharonot, the head of Mossad David Barnea believes that the recent airstrikes against strategic targets in Iran have left the Iranians deeply unsettled, and fearing new Israeli retaliations once President-elect Donald Trump enters the White House. Barnea believes that in order to quell the Houthis Israel should punish Iran for their attacks. However, Israeli Middle East experts have been saying that the Iranians’ influence on the Houthis is not as complete as their influence on Hezbollah.
Israeli media have noted that historically, during times of war, PM Netanyahu has often sided with the Mossad chief’s perspective over the military’s when disagreements arose. This was illustrated most recently in Operation Beepers and the targeted assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Yediot speculated that Netanyahu might favor Barnea’s approach once again.
At a graduation ceremony for new Israeli Air Force pilots, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi issued a stern warning to both Iran and the Houthis: “Iran will know, its allies and the entire Middle East will know, that anyone who tries to undermine the stability and security of the State of Israel will be firmly opposed by us, and the army is prepared to strike at any time and in any place.”
