In a significant escalation of its ongoing campaign to counter Iranian-backed threats, Israel’s Air Force executed a large-scale airstrike in Yemen early Thursday, targeting dozens of Houthi terrorist infrastructure sites. About 20 fighter jets participated in the operation, launching 50 precision munitions against positions held by the Houthis in a demonstration of military reach and deterrence. The strike comes against a backdrop of mounting attacks originating from Iranian proxies across the region and highlights Israel’s ongoing effort to secure its citizens and safeguard critical international maritime routes.
According to official statements, the targets comprised command centers, weapons depots, and missile launch platforms, all identified through joint intelligence efforts as operational nodes in recent Houthi assaults against Israeli and Western interests. The Israeli action follows a pattern of increasing Houthi belligerence—missile launches and drone strikes targeting Red Sea shipping and direct threats to Israeli territory—coordinated within Iran’s broader effort to encircle Israel and destabilize U.S.-aligned states across the Middle East.
The Houthis, a Yemeni-based terror organization formally known as Ansar Allah, seized control of significant parts of Yemen in 2014, toppling the internationally recognized government. Since then, they have received sustained support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including missile technology and unmanned aerial systems. Over the last year, as war rages between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah threatens Israel’s north, the Houthis have declared themselves part of the Iranian-led ‘Axis of Resistance,’ intervening with increasing frequency in the broader conflict.
International security officials highlight the Houthis’ growing ability to disrupt global commerce by targeting vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a strategic chokepoint linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. These attacks, directed both at Israeli ports and Western-flagged vessels, prompted the formation of joint naval task forces, including U.S., UK, and Israeli assets, to mitigate the threat and preserve open shipping lanes.
“To respond to the immediate and ongoing threats from Yemen, the Israeli Air Force coordinated a multilayered strike, employing advanced electronic warfare and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) assets to ensure target accuracy and reduce the risk to noncombatants,” stated a senior IDF source speaking on background. Images released by IDF Spokesperson’s Unit showed the night-time scramble of IAF jets and the precision of outgoing strikes.
The operation is emblematic of Israel’s broader doctrine of active defense, which rests on preempting threats and neutralizing adversarial assets before they can endanger Israeli lives or international interests. This doctrine—codified in both Israeli defense policy and international law—remains the moral and strategic basis for military activity against proxies operating under the umbrella of the Iranian regime. Three months into the Iron Swords War, after the October 7 Hamas massacre, these proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others—have intensified their combined campaign, rendering Israeli responses increasingly frequent and forceful.
While some humanitarian agencies raised concerns over the ongoing conflict in Yemen, Israeli sources emphasized that all operational planning adhered to international law, with target selection based solely on direct involvement in terror activity. Unlike the Houthis—who routinely launch attacks from within civilian areas—Israel continues to employ measures to mitigate collateral damage and has called for renewed international pressure on Iran to cease its region-wide escalation.
Reactions to the strike were swift. Houthi leaders vowed retaliation, and Iranian state media condemned Israel’s actions. In contrast, U.S. and European officials reiterated support for Israel’s right to defend itself, emphasizing the collective interest in upholding the security of strategic waterways and countering Iranian expansionism. Key regional powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, acknowledged the threat posed by proxy warfare in the Red Sea, advocating for international coordination while expressing hopes for de-escalation.
This latest operation stands as a signal to all Iranian-backed factions: Israel’s resolve to protect its territory and interests encompasses the full battlefront imposed upon it since October 7. With air and maritime assets at high readiness, Jerusalem has underscored that unchecked aggression by the Axis of Resistance will be met with swift and proportional response, executed within the frameworks of law and moral clarity that govern sovereign self-defense.
As southern Israel continues to face indirect fire from Yemen, and with naval and commercial interests under daily threat, Israeli defense officials stated that further action remains on the table should Houthi terrorism persist. In the struggle imposed by Iran, Israel’s leadership, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, remains committed to the security of the State of Israel, the safe return of those held hostage by terrorists in Gaza, and the preservation of global rules-based order. The wider war—forced by Iran’s vision of regional dominance—has extended Israel’s defensive perimeter from the Mediterranean eastward to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The stakes, for Israel and the international community, could not be clearer.
