‘As With Haniyeh, So Too the Houthis’: Israel Vows to Decapitate Iran-Backed Terrorist Group

Latest Developments

• Israel’s Defense Minister Claims Hamas Chief’s Assassination: In the first public acknowledgment of Israeli responsibility, Defense Minister Israel Katz on December 23 said Jerusalem was behind the July killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. In remarks pledging stepped-up retaliation for Houthi missile attacks from Yemen, Katz said: “We will strike the Houthis hard, destroy their strategic infrastructure, and decapitate their leadership — just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon — we will do the same in Hodeidah and Sana’a.”
• Haniyeh Eliminated in Israeli Covert Operation: Whereas Israeli forces openly fired on Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in September and on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in October, Haniyeh was targeted by a covert Mossad squad in a guest house in the Iranian capital belonging to the Ayatollah’s regime.
• Another Houthi Missile Launch Shakes Tel Aviv: In what is shaping up as a twice-weekly occurrence, the Houthis launched another ballistic missile at Israel in the early hours of December 24. The missile was shot down outside Israel’s border, but the IDF sounded sirens in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas over possible debris impact. Several people were reported injured while rushing to shelters.

FDD Expert Response

“The Israelis are now officially putting Houthis leaders in their crosshairs. Though such targeting would seem a tall order given Yemen’s remoteness, it is a safe assumption that the Mossad — and allied intelligence agencies — already have assets in place for tracking and targeting purposes. There may have been a hint about this in the IDF statement that its December 19 strike was directed by the country’s navy — a possible reference to commandos sent ashore to guide the air force’s bombers.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO

“The Houthis have been carrying out attacks on ships in the Red Sea with relative impunity over the past year. Despite efforts by the U.S.-UK coalition to counter the Iran-backed group, they remain undeterred. Alongside Gaza, the Houthis represent the only active front for Israel, appearing unrestrained in their actions. To effectively deter them, the group’s leadership must be targeted — much like Hezbollah in Lebanon.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Netanyahu: Israel Will Act Against Houthis Like It Did Against Hamas and Hezbollah,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘On Behalf of the Entire International Community’: IDF Strikes Sana’a as Houthi Rebels in Yemen Target Tel Aviv,” FDD Flash Brief 

“U.S. Strikes Houthi Command Center Amid Continuing Threats to International Shipping, Israel,” FDD Flash Brief  

“Why Are the Houthis Attacking Israel — and Can They Be Deterred?” by Seth J. Frantzman