Israel’s strikes on Houthis spur renewed Yemeni offensive
The Yemeni Armed Forces of the internationally-recognized government launched an attack on Houthi rebels in the country’s southwestern Taiz region, likely influenced by Israeli airstrikes on the Iran-backed rebels and the collapse of Iran’s other regional proxies.
An Israeli Air Force jet prepares to take off for airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Dec. 19, 2024. Photo by IDF Spokesperson/TPS-IL
HoutReports from Taiz indicate that Yemeni army units have launched counterattacks on Houthi positions, seizing control of two strategic military sites in the province. In one significant operation, government forces targeted Houthi strongholds in the Haganah area in northwest Taiz, reportedly killing eight militia members and forcing the rebels to retreat.
Meanwhile, Saudi airstrikes and artillery shelling in the northwest Saada governorate, a key Houthi bastion in northern Yemen, reportedly killed at least 10 Houthi fighters over the past 24 hours.
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack, the Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel. The majority have been intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace.
Till now, Israeli strikes in Yemen in July, September and December have targeted ports and other Houthi infrastructure. However, Israeli leaders have increased their focus on the Houthis since the start of a ceasefire with Hezbollah, the collapse of Syria’s pro-Iran government, and Iraq’s Shi’ite militias ceasing their attacks.
Muhammad al-Bukhaiti, a senior member of the Houthi political bureau, sought to downplay the setbacks, describing the government’s offensive in Taiz as a “trial balloon” intended to assess the Houthis’ readiness.
Following the government attack, Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo threatened Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
As the Yemeni civil war enters its 11th year, dozens of tribal leaders recently convened to pledge support for the Yemeni government and advocate for greater tribal involvement in efforts to “free Yemen from the clutches of Iran.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security is scheduled to discuss the Houthi missile attacks on Israel on Dec. 30.
The Houthis vowed in early December to target any Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea, regardless of its ownership. They have attacked or harassed around 100 ships, hijacked the MV Galaxy Leader in November 2023 and are holding its crew of 25 hostage.
From bases along the Yemeni coast, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened ships in the Red Sea as they traverse the Bab el-Mandeb Straits, a narrow maritime choke point between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The majority of the world’s oil passes through the strait from the Indian Ocean towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
