“Jerusalem Post”: The Houthis in Yemen Pose a Real Threat to the West and “Israel”
NYN | Reports and analyses
The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reported that the Western world is overly focused on the ongoing conflict between “Israel,” Gaza, and Lebanon, while ignoring the real threat to its security and interests: the Houthis in Yemen.
The report emphasized that “the Houthis are targeting global shipping through the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, severely restricting trade movement through Egypt’s Suez Canal and Israel’s Eilat port.”
The paper noted that blocking international waters is a legitimate cause for war, citing Egypt’s closure of the Strait of Tiran in 1967, which led to the Middle East war.
The Jerusalem Post stated that “Houthi militias are currently launching missiles, shells, and drones at ships linked to Israel, the U.S., and the UK, with insufficient efforts being made to stop them.” The Houthis have also occasionally fired missiles toward “Israel.”
The report added that “this Islamic terrorism has persisted for nearly a year,” highlighting that “American forces and their allies have conducted dozens of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, yet these operations have been reactive rather than offensive, allowing the Houthis, who have faced little deterrence, to continue controlling the strait.”
The paper criticized the Western response to Houthi attacks in support of Gaza in the Red Sea, describing it as inadequate and sometimes pathetic. The only retaliatory strike was an Israeli attack on Yemen’s Hodeidah port after a Houthi missile killed an Israeli in “Tel Aviv” in July, causing fires that burned for several days.
Regarding shipping operations, the report explained that “the Houthis have not blocked all shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, but are specifically targeting vessels linked to Israel. However, the impact is the same as if they were targeting all ships,” according to the paper.
It further noted that “insurance companies have raised their rates for shipping through the Red Sea, and some companies have required shipping lines to declare that they have no ties to Israel, nor have their ships docked in Israel for an entire year.”
The newspaper remarked that “one might think that the requirement to declare ‘Israeli contamination-free’ status would be enough to provoke a global response to stop the terrorist activities of the Houthis.”
Nevertheless, the paper criticized the weak Western response, noting that alternative ideas have emerged, such as rerouting shipping from the Far East through the Arctic Circle to Europe, which would give Russia, not currently a friend to the West, an opportunity to disrupt shipping.
The Jerusalem Post pointed out that “Western reluctance toward ‘escalation’ is a key issue, as this concept is being misused, leading to the neglect of necessary military intervention to stop the Iranian-backed Islamic tide,” as the paper described it.
The report stressed that more than defensive missions are needed to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
In this context, the paper urged the West to take responsibility and not leave Israel to face these challenges alone, warning that failure to take the necessary actions would exacerbate the threat of Islamic terrorism, according to the report.
It concluded by stating that “it is time for the West to take its protection against this Islamic terrorism seriously, rather than relying on others in this battle,” as the newspaper stated.
