The Houthis Will Not Give Up their Extremist Vision and Will Keep Trying to Destroy Israel

According to new details obtained by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, the estimated damage to the Houthis in the latest operation reached tens of millions of dollars, due to severe harm to the three ports that were struck, primarily in Hodeidah. 

In addition, according to Israeli Air Force sources, it turns out that the Houthis installed an advanced radar for detecting targets on the Galaxy Leader cargo ship that had been hijacked over a year ago and became a symbol of the Houthis in the Red Sea. It was a major target of the Black Flag operation. 

The revival of attacks on merchant vessels embarrasses the US, which signed a non-belligerence agreement under the Trump administration at the start of the year with the terrorist organization that controls most of Yemen. However, that agreement did not include missile or drone attacks against Israel. 

This week, around 20 fighter jets participated in the Air Force operation, dropping some 53 missiles and bombs mainly on the Houthis' key supply arteries. Despite this being Israel’s ninth campaign targeting these sites, the Air Force explains that such achievements must be bolstered with repeated and deeper strikes. They estimate that the visible damage so far amounts to billions of dollars in losses for the Houthis, even though they continue trying to rebuild the damaged sea ports. Most of the berths at Hodeidah’s central port have already been destroyed, as have the tugboats that bring commercial vessels in, and the container cranes at the piers. 

Yet the Houthis have improvised dangerous solutions—like using fishing boats to drag large ships into the broken piers. “These loading and unloading methods do not exist in any maritime port worldwide; in effect, we are imposing a blockade on those sea ports,” Captain Y., head of the IDF's Yemen division and a combat navigator from Squadron 69, told Ynet. 

“Tens of percent of Yemen’s imports have stopped because of our strikes, and the air blockade on Sanaa International Airport is proving effective," he said. "We hit all their transport aircraft, and now only UN planes land in Sanaa. It’s true that the terminals, control towers, and runways we struck can be rebuilt—but it takes time, so we are preparing to maintain these achievements.” 

During the war with Iran, the IDF even attempted to eliminate the Houthi commander-in-chief Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, but without success. In Israel, officials tried to deflect attention from the failed attempt by leaking a spin that he was attending a meeting to chew ghat with his friends. 

But the IAF understands there is no choice but to continue these actions in any scenario. “These are actions that will require further enforcement, because currently the number of ships entering Hodeidah is tens of percent lower than a year ago. That makes it infinitely harder for the Houthis. They are a religious extremist terrorist organization whose purpose is the destruction of the State of Israel, and they will keep launching because it’s written on their flag. Therefore, we will continue acting against this threat.” 

At the same time, the IDF recognizes the intelligence challenges posed by the Houthis, due to divided focus across all fronts. The Houthis often conceal the ballistic missiles received from Iran—or upgraded themselves—in the Yemeni mountains and deserts, from where most launches are conducted. 

“We are in a much better intelligence position than a year or two ago, and we constantly produce new targets in Yemen," Captain Y. noted. "We have cooperation with US Central Command, CENTCOM. Executing a strike in Yemen, despite our experience with Iran, is still a complex and difficult operation requiring in-flight refueling, hours-long flights, and handling air defense systems deployed in Yemen.”