Why Houthi Missile Attacks on Israel Are Intensifying

Monday, 5 May 2025 | The Houthis launched another ballistic missile at Israel on Saturday morning, triggering sirens across dozens of communities near Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Hebron, Arad and the Dead Sea. This followed two missile launches toward northern Israel on Friday, along with a drone strike Friday night. In recent weeks, Houthi attacks have reached nearly every region in the country. 

Israeli officials believe the uptick in launches stems from two main factors. First, the US has significantly improved its intelligence capabilities over the past six weeks of airstrikes in Yemen—including overnight strikes—and has refined its operational tactics to better surprise the Houthis. 

According to Israeli assessments, American forces are no longer just hitting weapons depots but are also striking launch sites and storage facilities for missiles and drones in western and central Yemen with increasing precision. 

Second, officials say the US has been effective in disrupting the smuggling of Iranian drones and missiles into Yemen, leading to a sharp decline in the Houthis’s stockpiles. 

As a result, the Houthis are rushing to launch missiles and drones before they can be destroyed—similar to Hamas's behavior in Gaza when its rocket caches are under threat. Most of the launches now occur during daylight hours, since the US can more easily detect the bright flash of missile launches at night and target them with greater accuracy. 

Earlier this week, Israeli officials explained that the decision not to respond militarily to the Houthis stems from the fact that the US is already handling the campaign. “The fact that they’re firing doesn’t mean anything,” a senior Israeli defense official said. 

“The American operation is very effective. The Houthis still have launch capabilities but they can’t fire in large volumes. Most of their launches are intercepted or crash en route. As far as Israel is concerned, the Houthi threat is mostly a nuisance.” 

The official added that it’s unclear when the threat from Yemen will end but patience is required. “The Americans are doing a good job there,” he said. “We can’t add anything to the offensive effort.” Another Israeli source noted, “Every single day of the past six weeks, the US has carried out about ten times the number of strikes we could pull off in Yemen in an entire year.” 

Since the American campaign began on the night of March 15–16, US Central Command has struck more than 800 Houthi targets, killing hundreds of terrorists. According to recent US figures, ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69% and drone attacks by 55%. 

Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) shows that US forces have conducted at least 351 strikes in the past six weeks—their most intense monthly strike rate since 2017. Still, the operation’s primary objective—ending Houthi aggression against Israel and in the Red Sea—has yet to be achieved.