Sana’a Encircles Israel: What Is Happening Underground?

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

Israeli analysts and military officials have confirmed that the escalating Yemeni threat toward the occupation entity has not diminished but rather grown stronger, noting that the intensive American airstrikes have failed to undermine the capabilities of the Yemeni Armed Forces or deter them from continuing missile and drone attacks.

In a report published by the Hebrew website “Walla,” Reserve Brigadier General Yuval Ayalon described the Houthis (Ansar Allah) not merely as a “terrorist organization,” but as a real army possessing a robust and extensive military infrastructure, operating through a complex and organized combat system both above and below ground.

Ayalon added that, similar to Hezbollah and the Palestinian resistance, they understood the necessity of widely distributing their centers of power to counter the enemy’s air and naval superiority, and that they have now established independent military production capabilities through components supplied by their allies.

He stressed that Washington has invested massive resources over the past two months in bombing Sana’a centers, but the erosion of Yemeni power is neither a quick nor a guaranteed matter—it requires a long time and a multiparty effort.

15 Minutes to Reach Tel Aviv

For his part, Brigadier General Doron Gavish, former commander of Israel’s Air Defense System, revealed in an interview with the Hebrew “103FM” radio station that Yemeni ballistic missiles are now capable of reaching “Israel” within just 15 minutes, traveling at speeds of up to 6,000 kilometers per hour.

Gavish pointed out that Yemen possesses enough missiles to continue its attacks, calling on settlers to strictly adhere to Home Front Command instructions and to seek shelter when alarms are sounded, alarms which the Israeli army’s leadership is now considering extending in duration, according to “Maariv” newspaper.

Hebrew radio reported that internal discussions within the security establishment are focusing on expanding the areas where sirens are activated, after it became clear that Yemen’s ballistic arsenal still holds dozens of missiles.

American Bombing Is Not Enough… The Coalition Needs Expansion

Similarly, Eyal Zisser, Vice President of Tel Aviv University, stated that American airstrikes have failed to weaken the Houthis (Ansar Allah), emphasizing that their downfall requires a broad regional coalition involving Washington, Tel Aviv, and several Gulf allies.

In his article on the Hebrew “GNS” website, Zisser added that support for the UAE- and Saudi-backed factions within Yemen must be intensified, as neither the United States nor Israel alone can eliminate this threat.

The War Continues

Since late October 2023, Sana’a forces have been engaged in an open confrontation against the Israeli entity, in support of Gaza amidst an unprecedented aggression.

Despite over 1,500 American, British, and Israeli airstrikes targeting Sana’a and other Yemeni areas, these attacks have failed to change the Yemenis’ stance of supporting Gaza or to halt the launch of missiles and drones toward occupied territories.

Sana’a has now imposed a new equation in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Gulf of Aden, effectively closing passages to Israeli shipping, while continuing to develop its military capabilities—a scene that reflects a strategic shift in the balance of deterrence in the region.