Netanyahu Challenges the Houthis… Just Days Left Before War

NYN | Reports and Analyses

In an escalation that signals the potential opening of a wide conflict front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today a complete siege on the Gaza Strip, halting all goods and supplies to the besieged territory. He threatened that there would be no ceasefire unless Israeli prisoners are released, a move that observers have described as a declaration of a new war, adding to the ongoing series of Israeli aggression.

For its part, the White House gave the green light to the Israeli escalation, with U.S. officials stating that the American administration would support any decisions made by Israel, accusing Hamas of not wanting to maintain peace.

This accusation was denied by Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem, who stated in a press release that the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners would only occur through a prisoner exchange deal, to be discussed in the second-phase negotiations. He warned against attempts by the occupation to return things to square one by extending the first phase to retrieve prisoners without committing to stopping the aggression.

Qassem added: “Anyone who wants to save their prisoners should force the occupation entity to enter serious negotiations and fulfill the terms of any agreement,” referring to Palestinian demands to end the blockade and secure international guarantees to prevent the resumption of war.

Regionally, the Houthi (Ansar Allah) group in Yemen reiterated its support for Gaza, with leaders of the group stating that they are keeping a close watch on Gaza and have their hands on the trigger. They emphasized that the forces of Sana’a, fully armed with missiles and drones, would not hesitate to strike any hostile targets if the aggression were renewed. They also pointed out that past experience has proven they are capable of turning threats into nightmares for the enemy.

This escalation comes at a time when the region is experiencing unprecedented tension, with fears that all negotiation tracks may collapse, leading to a wide regional confrontation.

The situation signals an approaching storm if Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on tightening the siege on Gaza, refusing to return to the negotiating table, and resuming a policy of intensive military aggression with absolute U.S. support, targeting – as usual – innocent Palestinian civilians.

This escalation could represent a golden opportunity for the Houthis (Ansar Allah) to intensify their military attacks against Tel Aviv, potentially launching large-scale, high-impact operations this time in response to the renewed crimes of the occupation.