In a strategic operation demonstrating Israel’s commitment to self-defense amid escalating regional tensions, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched its eighth targeted strike against Houthi-controlled terror infrastructure in Yemen. Late Thursday, 15 IAF fighter jets carried out precision attacks on more than 30 sites managed by the Iranian-backed Houthi regime, according to official statements from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
This latest operation underscores the widening front of Israel’s defensive war following the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023—the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust—which propelled a broader offensive by Iranian-backed proxy forces. The Houthis, formally named “Ansar Allah,” have, with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) support, evolved from a local insurgency into a regional threat, leveraging Iranian-supplied missiles, armed drones, and advanced technology to launch attacks against Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
Israeli military officials reported that the targets included missile depots, drone launch facilities, and command centers, all components of a sophisticated infrastructure designed to extend Iran’s reach against Israel and other regional powers. The IDF noted that each strike was carefully planned to minimize civilian harm, aligning with Israel’s operational protocols and international law.
“The Houthis serve as Iran’s southern lever in a strategy to surround and destabilize Israel and its allies,” military analysts observed, drawing a clear line between Houthi aggression in Yemen and Iranian-sponsored attacks emanating from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Gaza. Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched multiple missile and drone salvos toward the Israeli port city of Eilat, as well as targeting international shipping in critical maritime lanes.
The operation marks a continuation of Israel’s broader response to Iranian aggression in the region. As part of a consistent doctrine, the IDF has attacked terror assets wherever credible threats to its security arise, including missions in Syria and Lebanon against Hezbollah and IRGC-linked formations. This approach is supported by the United States and several Arab states, which share concerns about Houthi and Iranian efforts to destabilize the Middle East.
The Houthis’ rise from a Zaidi Shia revivalist movement to Tehran’s trusted arm in Yemen is well-documented, with weapon and technology transfers from Iran traced by United Nations monitoring groups. Their occupation of Sana’a in 2014 and subsequent territorial gains have turned Yemen into a launchpad for threats not just to Israel but to global energy markets and commercial shipping.
Regionally, Israel’s air campaign has been coordinated amidst growing maritime security cooperation, with the U.S., France, and Gulf states intensifying patrols and intelligence sharing in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. Allied navies have intercepted numerous Iranian-supplied drones and missiles, underlining the international stakes in the Houthi campaign.
Israeli officials stress that these operations are directed at armed terror actors, not Yemen’s civilian residents, who suffer under the Houthis’ oppressive rule. Multiple international reports cite the Houthis for severe human rights abuses and for worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis through deliberate tactics of starvation and indiscriminate attacks.
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, continues to declare its intent to act preemptively and lawfully to defeat threats from Iranian proxies, a stance reaffirmed by Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. In their statements, Israeli leaders make clear that the world’s democracies must cooperate to contain Iranian-backed terror, protect freedom of navigation, and support the security of all regional partners.
As the IDF evaluates the tactical results of the latest airstrikes, initial reports indicate substantial damage to Houthi armaments and operational infrastructure—with no Israeli casualties and no verified civilian deaths. Israel’s campaign is expected to continue as long as Iranian-backed attacks threaten regional stability, serving both immediate defensive needs and the wider goal of deterring future aggression in an increasingly volatile Middle East.
