With its latest airstrike on Yemen, Israel sent a strong message to senior leaders of the Houthi forces.
Escalatory move
On January 10, Israel deployed 20 aircraft to attack infrastructure believed to support Houthi forces in Yemen. AFP reported that the Israeli military announced that it had attacked Houthi military targets at the two seaports of Hodeidah and Ras Isa on Yemen's west coast, as well as the Hezyaz power plant near the capital Sanaa (Yemen). The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) previously announced that it had intercepted three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Yemen at Israel on January 9.
Israel attacks Yemen, vows to hunt down Houthi leaders
The attack on Yemen was accompanied by a warning from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Houthis were paying a heavy price for their aggression against Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stressed that Israel would hunt down Houthi leaders and "leave no one behind."
Newsweek on January 10 quoted a Houthi source as saying after the Israeli attack that the group would continue its activities until the fighting in the Gaza Strip ended and would respond to the actions of Israel and the West. The Iranian government and Hamas forces in Gaza, allies of the Houthis, condemned the airstrike.
Israeli fighter
PHOTO: ISRAEL AIR FORCE
Calculation from all sides
Explaining the Houthi's continuous attacks on Israel, although they did not cause significant damage, Dr. April Longley Alley of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), commented that in addition to the Houthi's long-standing ideology of confrontation with Israel and the West, the recent attacks on Israel allowed the Houthi to recruit more members.
Yemeni people take to the streets to protest Israel on January 10
In Yemen, the Houthis are said to have arrested several members as they increasingly suspect that spies are embedded in their ranks, according to The Jerusalem Post on January 10, citing Yemeni security sources. Previously, several high-ranking Houthi members were killed in airstrikes while traveling, raising concerns that insiders were leaking information to their opponents. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, Houthi leaders are constantly changing their hiding places and avoiding using phones to ensure their safety from the threat from Israel.
Israel has made a strong statement that the Houthis could suffer the same "miserable fate" as Hamas and Hezbollah, and has repeatedly said it would hunt down the Houthi leaders. However, experts say that Israel has not prioritized establishing an intelligence network in Yemen for many years, so information factors as well as geographical distance somewhat limit Israel's options for attack. Meanwhile, the Houthis often apply small-scale attack tactics and have weapons support from Iran, aiming to push the conflict with Israel into a prolonged stalemate. Observers say that even in the scenario of Israel and Hamas reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the Houthis are likely to still attack Israel to increase their influence in the region.
Iran reveals "underground missile city"
Tasnim news agency reported on January 10 that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) revealed a large underground missile base, described as an "underground missile city".
Iranian media said the base stored dozens of different types of missiles that were used in Iran's attacks on Israel last year, and that Tehran was producing new types of special missiles. As the leading force in the "Axis of Resistance" alliance, Iran has recently been accused of providing weapons support to the Houthi, Hamas and Hezbollah groups.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/israel-quyet-truy-lung-gioi-thu-linh-houthi-185250111215427463.htm
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