Israel has responded to another Houthi rebels’ attack with strikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa. What's behind the attacks, and how are they related to Iran, Gaza and Red Sea shipping routes, discuss German writer Andreas Noll
Noll notices that Israel emphasizes that all attacked ( civilian installations) were being used by the Houthis for military purposes, supplying command centers with electricity, or refuelling drones.
He added that The latest attack is not the first Israeli operation against the Houthis, but it is one of the heaviest attacks since the opening of this new front.
Why is Israel responding now?
On August 22, the Houthis fired a missile at Israel that, according to the Israeli Army, was equipped for the first time with sub munitions, i.e. a warhead containing cluster bombs. These weapons are subject to international prohibitions, as they are responsible for a great many civilian casualties.
Israel clearly views the cluster bomb attack as a qualitative escalation. With this retaliatory strike, the Israeli government seems to be signaling that it will no longer simply defend itself against Houthi attacks, but will hit back with even greater force at their place of origin.
Rocket and drone attacks from Yemen have been more frequent in recent months. Hannah Porter, an independent Yemen analyst, believes they have also assumed a new quality.
"The Houthis apparently have a slightly new military capability, which is including sub munitions in their missiles that they're launching toward Israel," Porter told DW. "So I think the logic behind that is that they know the vast majority of their missiles will be intercepted over Israeli airspace. If some of the shrapnel, or some of the fragments, actually contain sub munitions that will explode upon impact, I think they are hoping that will allow a more severe impact of their targeting in Israel, and potentially reaching Ben Gurion Airport."
The Houthis, who refer to themselves as Ansar Allah (Helpers/Supporters of God), have controlled the majority of northern Yemen since 2014. They are fighting a civil war against a government supported by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Houthis are internationally isolated and dependent on their ally Iran.
The United Nations has established that, for years the Houthis are internationally isolated and dependent on their ally Iran., Tehran has been supplying the Houthis with weapons and missile and drone technology, as well as supporting them with military training.
The Houthis are important to Iran, as they provide it with leverage in the region. With their help, Tehran is able to put pressure on Saudi Arabia and the US, as well as on Israel.
The Houthis, meanwhile, are using the war in Gaza to portray themselves as part of the "resistance camp." They present their attacks on Israel as an expression of Muslim solidarity with Palestinians. At the same time, they hope to attract international attention, which they can use in the negotiations aimed at ending the Yemeni civil war.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire. Hunger, malnutrition, and undernourishment are at a record high. According to the UN, more than half the population is dependent on humanitarian aid. Infrastructure and the health system have practically collapsed as a result of the civil war.
What consequences will the conflict have for the region?
This new escalation doesn't only affect Israel and Yemen: It also has an impact on global trade. Since late 2023, the Houthis have regularly threatened cargo ships in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. Shipping companies often have to take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, and this significantly increases costs.