A hostage deal with Hamas could bring an end to the war in Gaza, the war that Israel launched in response to the October 7 massacre. Hamas operatives are still moving about the ruins of the Strip, but the group's military force, as well as the governing institutions it used to dominate Gaza's population, have been shattered by Israel. There is little chance it will be able to rebuild them in the foreseeable future.
In the north, too, against Syria and Lebanon, Israel maintains the upper hand. It holds absolute military superiority over its enemies and remains in control of the operational initiative. And then there is Iran, which suffered heavy blows during the 12-day war last month and lost its footholds along the Mediterranean. But Israel's victory will remain incomplete unless it finishes the job in the seventh theater of conflict it is facing: the Yemeni front.
It may be tempting to downplay the early morning alarms triggered by missile launches from Yemen, which have become part of daily life. After all, these missiles are intercepted en route to Israel and cause no real damage, other than interrupting people's sleep. But in reality, the cost of the Houthi aggression is much higher than we care to admit. It is an economic price, but also a security one. The disruption of maritime routes to the Red Sea has severely hurt Israel's trade with the Far East and effectively shut down the port of Eilat. Incidentally, Egypt's economy is suffering even more.
Just as dangerous is Israel's restraint in the face of Houthi attacks, which signals weakness and may encourage further aggression. It wouldn't be surprising if they began targeting not only ships but also Israeli and foreign aircraft flying through the region. Needless to say, such actions would pose a long-term security threat to Israel's image and its deterrence.
It must be acknowledged that, despite their image as a backward militia ruling a poor country, the Houthis have demonstrated impressive capabilities. They are successfully operating an advanced array of missiles and drones provided by Iran and continue launching them despite the strikes Israel has carried out against them. These strikes, it appears, have had little to no effect.
So far, Israel's response to Houthi attacks has been partial and even hesitant, seemingly aimed more at public relations and morale than at actually defeating the group. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant may tweet aggressive slogans like "Yemen is like Tehran," but in practice, Israel has limited itself to sporadic strikes every few weeks, attacks that don't significantly impact the Houthis' economy or military infrastructure. That's not how you defeat an enemy, unless someone here is hoping a ceasefire in Gaza will bring an end to the attacks from Yemen and spare us the need for a real campaign there.
But the Houthis have never really cared about Gaza. Their struggle against Israel is a means to elevate their domestic and regional standing, and, of course, to guarantee continued Iranian support. There is no reason to assume that once the war in Gaza ends, they won't find another excuse to keep attacking Israel.
Israel needs to take off the gloves. Yemen is distant, and we've never truly focused on it, but just as we prepared within mere months for confrontation with Iran, we can also prepare for a full-scale war against the Houthis. Otherwise, the threat they pose will only grow, and it's about more than just lost sleep.
Finally, Israel must also find a way to exact a price from Iran, the octopus head directing the Houthi tentacle. Only a successful combination of precise, effective, and, most importantly, sustained strikes on the Houthis, targeting their governing institutions, economic infrastructure, and the military systems they operate against Israel, alongside blows against Iran itself, will eliminate the threat from Yemen and complete the mission.
