Inside Israel's Yemen operation that decapitated Houthi leadership
Since Israel's intelligence began focusing on the Houthi threat in July, efforts to quell the threat from Yemen have grown much more precise.
TEL AVIV — Israel’s Aug. 28 airstrike on Sanaa, which killed at least 11 senior officials of the Houthi government, including its prime minister, does not appear to have deterred the Iran-sponsored group.
Since then, the Houthis have fired three ballistic missiles — one carrying a cluster warhead — and one drone toward Israel. Two of the missiles fell en route and exploded above Saudi Arabian airspace while the third, which targeted a merchant vessel in the Red Sea, missed and landed in the water. The missile launches set off warning sirens and sent millions of Israelis into shelters. Israeli air defenses intercepted the drone without triggering sirens.
“All in all, they have signaled that they are still alive and kicking, but have not caused any damage,” a senior Israeli military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “They are in shock over the killing of most of their ministers, and they now realize that none of them are safe — not even their leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.”
When asked to what extent the targeted killings would deter the Houthis — who have attacked Israel since its war with Hamas began nearly two years ago — the military source responded that the process could take time. “The Houthis are known to have a high tolerance for suffering, though not an unlimited one. Once the price becomes too high, their motivation will decrease,” the source noted.
