Pressuring Israel: Houthis threaten naval escalation amid rising Iran tensions - analysis
Messages from the Houthis indicate their intention to escalate attacks if Israel-Iran tensions increase.
The Houthis are putting out messaging that they intend to escalate attacks, especially if Israel-Iran tensions grow. The new report at the Lebanese Al-Akhbar is seemingly meant to deter Israel and the US from further action against Iran.
“Yemeni support operations for the Gaza Strip and Lebanon are heading towards a new phase of escalation,” the report claims.
“Military preparations are underway to engage in a direct naval battle with the Israeli entity, saying that the Israeli and American naval forces in the Mediterranean will be in the target range of Sana’a forces’ missiles and aircraft and indicating that this military effort may be with the participation of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon,” the Houthis told Al-Akhbar.
New threats to Israel's navy
The goal here is to increase the “equation” that Iranian-backed groups have “imposed” on Israel. In the wake of October 7, this has included Hezbollah attacks, rockets from Iraq and Yemen, and Iranian ballistic missile fire. The goal is to batter Israel with threats and create mutually assured deterrence so that each part of Iran’s axis can be keyed in to help stop attacks on the others or put pressure on Israel.
The report claims that sources said that “the Israeli occupation’s warships and frigates in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea will be among the targets in the coming days... The Israeli battleship Sa’ar will not be immune to the strikes of Sana’a’s forces.” The Sa’ar ships are Israeli missile boats and corvettes. Israel has used them to down threats from Iraq and Yemen because the ships have air defenses.
“Observers believe that Sana’a [Houthi] forces are anticipating any American participation with the entity [Israel] in responding to Iran as a signal to launch broad Yemeni-Iraqi operations against American bases in the region.”
The goal here is to create a wider deterrent against Israeli action by also threatening the US. Iraqi militias have already targeted US bases numerous times, and the Houthis have targeted the Red Sea in many attacks. Recent reports suggest the US might even deploy air defenses in Israel. This all looks like part of a plan for possible wider escalation in the region in case of Israeli retaliation for the Iranian October 1 ballistic missile attack.
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