Netanyahu’s National Security Advisor Says Israel Ready to Act Against Houthis

Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said on Saturday that Israel was ready to act against the Houthis in Yemen if the US and its allies do not.

“Israel is giving the world some time to organize in order to prevent this but if there isn’t to be a global arrangement, because it is a global issue, we will act in order to remove this naval siege,” Hanegbi told Israel’s Channel 12.

The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked commercial vessels and firing missiles and drones at Israel in response to the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Hanegbi’s comments came after reports that said the Biden administration told Israel to leave it to the US to take care of the Houthis.

US officials have told POLITICO that the Biden administration is not planning to strike the Houthis, at least for now. The US has backed a Saudi-led coalition in a war against the Houthis since 2015, although a ceasefire has held relatively well since April 2022. Any US attacks on the Houthis could threaten the truce.