The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar has reported that Israel might join a larger military operation in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthis. Citing US diplomatic sources, the newspaper stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered assistance to countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
Meanwhile, Israel is growing increasingly concerned about the Houthi advance in western Yemen and their control over strategic areas of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. An Israeli official warned that if the Houthis gain control of the Bab el-Mandeb, the situation could become even more dangerous than that of the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel is closely monitoring Houthi movements. Concurrently, the IDF has conducted major military exercises in the Eilat area, simulating scenarios involving attacks by Houthis and pro-Iran militias via sea, air, and land.
