Yemen and the Houthi Movement

On October 19, 2023, just days after the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war, the Houthis in Yemen declared an additional front against Israel as part of their commitment to the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance” and the concept of “unification of the arenas.” The Houthi militia, which is supported by Iran and controls large parts of Yemen, directly launched missiles and UAVs against Israel and imposed a naval blockade in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade. According to the IDF spokesperson, since October 2023, the Houthis have launched approximately 220 missiles and around 170 UAVs toward Israel.   This map displays both Houthi attacks on Israel and IDF strikes in Yemen, located approximately 1,700 km from Israel’s borders. Additionally, the map illustrates the threat ranges of Houthi weaponry, including attack UAVs and ballistic missiles.   The map is updated regularly and as accurately as possible, based on open-source intelligence assessments and media reports.  

An operation in Iran in response to the Houthi attacks could escalate the region into a broader conflict, and it is doubtful whether it would alter the actions of the Yemeni terror organization

The crisis in the Red Sea, caused by the actions of the Houthi terrorist milita, creates a naval blockade in the area while also opening new opportunities for the State of Israel

The Arab Spring reached Yemen in 2011 at a moment when both popular and elite support for Yemen’s then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh were low, leading to the disintegration of a triumvirate that had ruled Yemen for decades. Since then, efforts to formulate a new configuration of national governance through dialogue, civil war, external intervention, and negotiations failed to yield results. Although Israel is not an influential player in the theater, it does have interests that could be affected by developments there: containing the Iran-backed Houthi threat, the extrication of its unofficial Saudi partner in the anti-Iran coalition from the Yemeni quagmire, and preventing the expansion of radical Sunni jihadist groups.