The severe blows that Israel has inflicted on the Axis of Resistance, especially on Lebanese Hezbollah, have left the Houthis as the only player with the capability and willingness to harm Israel. This includes disrupting maritime trade routes in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, through which Israeli ships pass, as well as launching missiles at Ben Gurion Airport to disrupt international aviation, deter foreign airlines, and damage Israel's economy.
The Houthis continue this trend, despite Israel's retaliatory responses, for several reasons.
The first reason is fanatical religious zealotry characterized by a perception of the battle against Israel as a divine command and a willingness to sacrifice despite the price the Houthis pay in lives and their military capabilities. It's no coincidence that the Houthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi is described as the modern Zaid, the founder of the Zaidiyyah Shiite movement, who symbolizes stubborn fighting against infidel and tyrannical forces along with a willingness for self-sacrifice.
The second reason is the internal interest in distracting the civilian population from economic, nutritional, and sanitary security distress. For example, the Houthis have not successfully eradicated the cholera epidemic spreading in areas under their control following rainfall floods.
The third reason is cooperation and coordination with representatives of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. It should be remembered that the Houthi Shura Council includes Iranian representatives, and even Hezbollah activists provide guidance and advice that exploit the Houthis. This is not only to bleed Israel but also to examine Israel's defensive capabilities, weapons array, and the effectiveness of Iranian missiles.
The Houthi threat to Israel and the region has not disappeared and is even intensifying. This is due to the backing provided by China, Russia, and Iran based on their ambition for regional hegemony and pushing out US regional influence. Evidence is accumulating that alongside Iranian military aid, the Houthis receive Russian and Chinese military assistance.
The increasing collaboration between the Houthis and al-Qaida's branch in Somalia, the al-Shabab al-Mujahideen movement, also heightens the threat. The two have successfully built an extensive smuggling network of weapons, drugs, money, and fighters between Yemen and the Horn of Africa with Iranian assistance and local criminal elements. This cooperation serves as a force multiplier for the Houthis, which could increase terrorist threats not only in the Red Sea area but also in the Horn of Africa, especially given that both groups are arming themselves with drones, unmanned naval vessels, and long-range missiles.
Confronting the Houthi threat requires building a regional consortium that would include Gulf states, Western countries, and even India – if not on the military level, then at least on the intelligence and cognitive fronts. On the cognitive front, it is necessary to promote the narratives of Yemeni religious scholars, including Zaidis and social media influencers who point to the distorted interpretation and unacceptable politicization of Islam by the Houthis. This is to increase civilian population antagonism against the Houthis in their territories.
Alongside this, it is necessary to focus on Yemeni military forces already on Yemeni soil who harbor deep hostility toward the Houthis, especially from the Western Council of South Yemen, supported by the Emirates. Israel could strengthen the motivation of these military forces through targeted elimination of the Houthi leadership, particularly the al-Houthi family, similar to the elimination of Hezbollah's leadership. Additionally, economic warfare against the Houthi terrorist organization is important, and action should be taken against several tycoons who finance it, some of whom are based in London.
Dr. Michael Barak is a senior researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University.
