Netanyahu Sets Zero Hour to Strike Sanaa — But a Surprise Awaits Him
NYN | Reports and analyses
Recent Hebrew-language reports indicate that Israel is considering launching a large-scale military operation against Yemen, amid escalating economic losses incurred due to the naval blockade imposed by Sanaa’s forces and continued pressure on Israeli shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Israeli media outlets today quoted political sources saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently informed Washington of Israel’s readiness to take action in Yemen, considering that escalation is imminent, according to reports from Kan News and Israel Hayom.
According to Hebrew media, Israeli Defense Minister Eli Cohen has instructed the military to prepare for a broad campaign targeting what he described as the “Houthi threat.”
These new Israeli threats come as Netanyahu faces mounting internal pressure over ongoing corruption cases, deep political divisions, and his failure to decisively conclude the war in Gaza since it began last October.
Sanaa in Israeli Calculations: A Different Battlefield
Israel’s security establishment recognizes that the Yemeni theater is fundamentally different from other fronts where Tel Aviv has waged direct or proxy wars, according to Israeli military analysts.
Israeli media have acknowledged on several occasions that escalation with Sanaa has failed to achieve its objectives, and that a practical solution to ending attacks on Israeli-linked ships is unlikely without a ceasefire in Gaza.
Regional political circles note that, despite limited resources, Sanaa has succeeded in reshaping the conflict equation by launching sophisticated military operations against Israel-affiliated maritime interests—effectively turning the Red Sea into a no-go zone for Israeli commercial vessels, inflicting direct economic damage on Israel.
Israel’s Bet on Military Power
Despite military assessments warning of the risks of becoming entangled in an open war with Yemen, Israeli leadership appears intent on using military escalation as a way to escape internal failures and attempt to regain the initiative after the failure of traditional deterrence measures.
In contrast, the Sanaa government has repeatedly asserted that its operations are directly tied to the course of the war in Gaza, stressing that attacks on ships will cease only with an end to Israeli aggression and the lifting of the siege on the Strip.
Loss of Control
Israel’s rapid maneuvers toward Yemen reflect a state of strategic confusion, as Tel Aviv no longer seems able to control the dynamics of a regional conflict stretching from Gaza to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
While Israel continues to review its military options, the geopolitical and economic challenges it faces are proving far too complex to resolve through limited strikes or shows of force.
Sanaa’s Unexpected Strength
Observers believe that Sanaa still holds undisclosed cards of power and that its ability to disrupt Israeli calculations may once again force Tel Aviv to turn to Washington for support and mediation—just as it has in previous rounds of escalation.
They emphasize that the open conflict is no longer confined to Gaza’s borders, but now includes a vast maritime and economic arena in which Sanaa holds critical leverage. This makes any Israeli military venture fraught with strategic risks that could exceed Israel’s capacity to manage or contain the consequences.
