In the past two days, Israeli threats against the Houthi group, globally classified as a terrorist organization, have escalated, suggesting that they will face the same fate as Iran's proxies in the region.

These threats began with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement on December 22, 2024, saying, "Just as we acted decisively against the arms of the Iranian axis of evil, we will take similar actions against the Houthis, and the result will be the same."

Netanyahu announced for the first time that his government is prepared to act unilaterally against Houthi threats, explaining that the United States and other countries share Israel's view of the Houthis as a "significant threat."

"We will act decisively, persistently, and wisely... I assure you that the result, even if it takes time, will be similar to what happened with the other arms of Iranian violence," Netanyahu said.

On Monday, December 23, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz threatened to strike the Houthis forcefully and damage their strategic infrastructure in Sanaa and Al-Hudaydah.

In a televised statement circulated by Israeli and international media, Katz said, "We will strike the Houthis with force, targeting their strategic infrastructure." He added, "We will cut off the heads of their leaders, as we did with Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon. We will do the same in Al-Hudaydah and Sanaa."

Who Pays the Price?

Military analyst Abdulrahman Al-Rubaie did not rule out the possibility of the Houthis in Yemen facing a fate similar to Hezbollah and the Assad regime.

Al-Rubaie told "Barran Press" that the region's recent events, including Hezbollah's defeat in Lebanon and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, indicate that Yemen is not "immune." He pointed out that the Houthis have become Iran's most important proxy in the region and southern Arabian Peninsula.

He added that the Houthis' escalation follows Iranian methods and instructions, explaining that "Iran seeks a presence in the confrontation, even through Yemen, without considering the Yemenis, their resources, economy, and lives, or their ports and facilities. This is not in the calculations of the Houthis or Iran."

In his view, Iran and the Houthis' provocations against Israel have "no real impact" on the ground, considering their actions as mere chaos and false claims of targeting the "Zionist entity." He added, "But the consequences and disadvantages of these provocations will be borne by the Yemenis in the present and future."

Regarding the justification for striking the Houthis, Al-Rubaie explained that this decision is related to the group being an arm of Iran in the region, noting that "the decision has become an international consensus that is irreversible, and it is only a matter of time." He believes that "the third target will be the Houthis in Yemen without delay."

Distracting from Iran's Nuclear Program

According to Al-Rubaie, "By mid-January or at most February 2025, Yemen will have entered a new chapter of conflict to restore the state," adding, "The legitimate forces will advance from all directions to liberate Sanaa and all provinces under Houthi control."

He affirmed that "this is likely, regardless of the cost to the Yemenis, and the Houthis bear full responsibility for what has happened and is happening in Yemen."

Conversely, Yemeni researcher Mustafa Naji believes that "the situation may continue with the Houthis launching their missiles," explaining that the goal is to "distract the world from Iran's nuclear program."

Naji told "Barran Press" that "Israel will continue its displays and deliver painful strikes in Yemen without crippling the Houthis." He believes that "a wide-scale war in Yemen requires the support of the incoming U.S. administration."