Houthis Continue Attacks on Israel Despite Joint US-UK-Israel Strikes

Despite a significant joint strike by the US, UK, and Israel against the Houthis last Friday, the Iranian-backed group launched another drone attack on Israel on Monday morning. The drone was intercepted by Israel's Air Force defense systems in southern Israel, though no sirens were triggered, indicating a high level of confidence in containing the threat.

Although there was initial hope that the aggressive military actions against the Houthis, including the largest joint strike to date, would deter further attacks on Israel, Monday’s drone assault suggests otherwise. A drone is seen as a lesser threat compared to ballistic missiles, and the Houthis have refrained from launching any missiles since January 5.

The Friday attack was the fifth by Israel against the Houthis since July, marking another escalation in Israel’s ongoing conflict with the group, which has been targeting Israel for over a year. The US and UK have also been active in countering the Houthis, with their coordinated attacks on specific Houthi infrastructure earlier last week.

The latest joint operations aimed to hit critical Houthi targets, with Israel striking military infrastructure, including power stations and ports in Yemen. Israel and the Western coalition have developed a clear strategy in their attacks, with the US and UK targeting weapons facilities and command centers, while Israel focuses on attacking economic targets with both military and civilian purposes, such as ports, airports, and power plants.