Houthi militants claimed a ballistic missile attack on Tel Aviv on Friday that disrupted flights to the city’s main airport, following Israeli air strikes on Yemen on Thursday, as a slow-burning conflict continues, with some Israeli officials calling for strikes against Iran.
The Houthi group, which receives funding and training from Iran, claimed: “The missile succeeded in reaching its target despite the enemy’s censorship, and the operation resulted in casualties and the cessation of navigation at the airport.”
Damage to Sana’a International Airport in Yemen’s capital after Israeli air strikes (Photo: Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu/Getty)
The Houthis have increased drone and missile attacks on Israel throughout the war in Gaza, in alliance with other members of the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” that includes Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iraqi militias.
Israel has responded with increasing force and is signalling that it is gearing up for a sustained campaign against the Yemeni group.
But Israel is unlikely to be able to degrade the Yemeni group as effectively as it did Hamas and Hezbollah, according to Professor Kobi Michael, an Israeli military analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies and Misgav Institute think tanks.
Israel is likely to lean on the US-led alliance, which includes the UK, which is already engaged in a military campaign against the Houthis over their attacks on Red Sea shipping, Dr Michael said, and to try to impose a maritime blockade to cut off the group’s weapons supply lines.
Mossad chief David Barnea has reportedly advised the Prime Minister to strike Iran (Photo: Amir Cohen/Reuters)The Israeli MP and former war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said this week that Israel should “target Iran directly,” adding that “the solution to putting an end to [Houthi] attacks lies in Tehran”.
Israel also claims to have inflicted damage on Iran’s air defences and military installations during an exchange of fire in October.
Head of WHO at Yemen airport during deadly Israeli strikes
Read MoreBut Sina Toosi, an Iran specialist at the Center for International Policy think-tank in Washington, said an attack on Iran could backfire.
“Israel’s struggle to decisively neutralise Hezbollah in the recent conflict underscores these risks. Despite Israel’s devastating attacks on Lebanon, Hezbollah’s missile and drone strikes continued unabated, even escalating in the days before the ceasefire, targeting central Israel and Tel Aviv.
“A military strike on Iran would likely yield similar results — failing to achieve a decisive victory while provoking severe Iranian retaliation and potentially accelerating Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.”
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