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Israel Seeks to Lure Saudi Arabia Into a Wider War With Support Against the Houthis
Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Israel is providing Saudi Arabia with military intelligence to support its operations against Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah), an Israeli defense official told The Jerusalem Post, as Israel prepares for a possible Houthi attack amid a wider regional conflict.
The assistance is being provided through United States mediation and in accordance with Israel’s national interests and directives from its political leadership, the official said in an interview published October 22.
Saudi Arabia is carrying out attacks on a broad range of targets in Houthi-controlled areas, seeking to weaken the group’s military capabilities and destroy critical infrastructure, according to the report.
“Two main points need to be made about this. First, it serves Israel’s interests quite well because it wears down the military strength of an Israeli enemy that is preparing and planning to harm us in the future. In addition, we are monitoring and observing methods of operation and tactics, and learning a great deal from what is happening there, including about weapons that are not necessarily manufactured by the Houthis,” the official said.
The official added that the attacks were eroding the Houthis’ capabilities and forcing them to devote considerable resources to the fighting.
“The Houthis are accustomed to building up their forces, not employing them on this scale. They are a serious enemy, well structured for the long term, but this presents them with a significant challenge. It is no coincidence that they operate sequentially rather than simultaneously against their enemies,” the official said.
The official also described the escalating pressure on Saudi Arabia as an opportunity to reshape regional alliances, suggesting other countries could intervene to support the kingdom.
“The question here is who will intervene on Saudi Arabia’s behalf. There is apprehension among countries, but we assess that there will be intervention. Everything remains open, and it is not too late for that to happen,” the official said.
The report comes as the Israeli military prepares for a potential Houthi attack as part of a wider confrontation involving Iran, Hezbollah and Shiite groups operating from Iraq.
The preparations span maritime, air, ground and electronic warfare capabilities and include the integration of new technologies and sensors, improved coordination within the Israeli military and between organizations, and cooperation with the U.S. military, according to the official.
The U.S. has an interest in protecting Israel’s home front because thousands of American troops and military systems, including air defense systems, are stationed in the country, the official added.
The official also said Sunni-majority countries were watching the escalation involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with Iranian support for the Yemeni group raising concerns that other states in the region could face similar threats.
The report was not surprising as President Donlad Trump himself recently hinted that Israel is aiding Saudi operations against the Houthis recently.
Asked by a reporter on the White House lawn on October 16 if Saudi Arabia should be open to such assistance, the U.S. president said, “I do, I think they will. Israel’s been very helpful to Saudi Arabia, and yeah they certainly would do that, yeah.”
Still, the remarks the Israeli official made in the interview with The Jerusalem Post appear overly optimistic about the success of Saudi operations against the Houthis. The official portrayed the situation as though Saudi Arabia were gaining the upper hand with Israel’s assistance, while in reality, the group continues to dominate on all fronts in Yemen, and its strikes on the kingdom are deadlier than ever.
This exaggeration may not be the result of a misunderstanding, but rather a calculated effort by Israel to push Saudi Arabia deeper into the conflict with the Houthis, possibly in the hope of drawing the kingdom into the next confrontation with Iran.
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