TEL AVIV — Amid heightened regional tensions, Israeli Air Force (IAF) pilots and support crews returned to base following operational missions over Yemen intended to disrupt Iranian-backed Houthi threats. The missions underscore Israel’s intensifying self-defense posture against expanding Iranian proxy attacks across the Middle East, especially as the number of fronts confronting Israel continues to grow since the October 7, 2023 terrorist massacre by Hamas.
On the tarmac, as jets decelerated and crews emerged from their cockpits, families and colleagues gathered, both relieved and resolute. The moments are rooted in tradition, as many in the Israeli public and military recite the ancient ‘Tefillat HaDerech’—the traveler’s prayer—invoking divine protection for those defending the state. This communal ritual highlights the profound risks undertaken daily by airmen tasked with maintaining Israel’s aerial security.
Since October 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen has intensified its missile and drone attacks—targeting Israeli cities and shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The Houthis, operating with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) support, have become an integral element of Iran’s ‘axis of resistance,’ joining Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza, and other proxy forces engaged in open armed conflict against Israel.
In recent operations, the IAF has executed precision strikes on Houthi launch sites and logistical infrastructures in Yemen, employing advanced aircraft and coordination with United States Central Command to minimize civilian casualties while disrupting adversary capabilities. Every sortie requires careful planning, including lengthy flights over hostile territories and use of sophisticated electronic warfare defenses to counter Iranian-supplied anti-air systems. Israel’s technological superiority—exemplified by the F-35 Adir, integrated air defense networks, and layered missile interception capabilities—remains a bulwark against the persistent missile, UAV, and rocket threats.
The operational tempo has only increased in the wake of the October 7 massacre, recognized internationally as the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust, when Hamas terrorists killed and abducted hundreds of Israelis. In the aftermath, other Iranian-backed militias, including the Houthis, escalated their own terror campaigns, aiming to seize headlines, spread Israel’s defenders thin, and bolster the image of a regional anti-Israel front led from Tehran.
Israel’s war cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, has consistently emphasized the necessity of proactive self-defense against these belligerent actors. They stress that Israel’s operations—whether in Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, or Syria—are defensive reactions to orchestrated aggression, rather than offensive campaigns. The government’s policy draws a firm moral distinction between Israel, a democracy acting to protect its citizens, and Iranian-backed groups whose tactics regularly and intentionally violate the laws of armed conflict.
For IAF crews, each return from mission marks both survival and the resumption of community life. The traveler’s prayer, regularly recited before departures and after safe returns, channels historical resilience into modern practice: ‘May it be Your will… to protect us from every enemy and ambush in the air and on the ground. Give us strength to defend the skies of Israel.’
As Israel’s border situation intensifies—with the Gaza front still active, daily provocations by Hezbollah in the north, and the new axis of attacks from Yemen—the solidarity of the home front becomes ever more crucial. Pilots and navigators, many from multi-generational military families, speak of the support provided by loved ones and the broader society as essential to sustaining morale across long and dangerous campaigns. Military psychologists, IDF chaplains, and community organizations are integral in assisting families during periods of uncertainty.
Strategically, the campaign in Yemen is viewed as vital to preempting the development of a southern launch platform for Iran’s proxy warfare. Disabling Houthi capabilities constrains Tehran’s designs for a multi-directional conflict targeting Israel’s economy, society, and territorial continuity. U.S. and international partners largely acknowledge Israel’s right to strike Houthi assets, given their repeated violations of international maritime law and acts of war against civilian targets.
Despite criticism in some global quarters about the scale or intensity of Israeli retaliation, the government continues to emphasize adherence to international legal norms. Precision-guided munitions, stringent target validation, and real-time operational debriefings are used to mitigate noncombatant casualties and demonstrate a moral posture distinct from the indiscriminate barrages typical of terror groups.
As the region remains volatile, the IAF’s capacity to project power and deter aggression is consistently tested. However, underpinning this high-tech war effort is a society unified by shared memory, faith, and sense of historical purpose. The ritual prayers spoken on and off the airfield symbolize the continuity of Israel’s struggle and resilience for survival under existential threat.
In summary, each successful return of Israeli aircrews from Yemen constitutes a moment of relief and renewed resolve in the broader war for Israel’s survival. The blending of ancient prayers with cutting-edge defense technology defines a nation determined to secure its future from the encroaching reach of Iranian-backed terror. The ongoing conflict, undergirded by unwavering national solidarity and moral clarity, continues to shape the political and military landscape of the region.
