A ground force led by Arab nations, possibly including a Yemenite force, will be necessary to remove the Houthis as a regional threat, according to a senior Israeli government official.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have continued firing ballistic missiles, sporadically, at Israel despite the ceasefire between Israel and Iran that took effect last month — and despite Israeli airstrikes against the rebels and their weapons.
The Houthis have also attacked international ships again, despite reaching a separate ceasefire with the United States earlier this year. The rebels, who have fought for years against the internationally-recognized government of Yemen, say they are fighting in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, which Israel is still fighting.
The fact that Israeli pilots have been able to reach Yemen, refueling along the way, was thought of as an astonishing achievement when the Israeli Air Force first did it a year ago. But airstrikes alone have not been enough. Israel has likely depleted and degraded the Houthi missile supply — and reinforcements from Iran are unlikely. Still, the Houthis remain committed to attacking Israel, and are a threat to the whole region.
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