As New Houthi Attacks Loom, Israel Braces for Escalation: 'Ultimatum Set by Hamas'

Monday, 10 March 2025 | Over the past week, Houthis have shifted gears when it comes to threats against Israel, both by renewing missile fire toward Israeli territory and by resuming naval actions against both Israel and the United States. According to information received by officials in Jerusalem, Hamas asked the Houthis in Yemen to renew the maritime blockade on Israel "as a means of applying pressure to prevent a return to fighting."

In his latest weekly speech, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared the "resumption of naval actions against Israeli vessels" unless humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza are restored within four days.

Similar threats were made by senior Houthi officials last month, stating that if ceasefires in Gaza or Lebanon collapse, missile fire from Yemen would resume. This is likely a request from the terror organization, which from the start of the war aimed to unite the various fronts so that Israel's enemies in the region would act against it simultaneously.

In response, Israel is preparing for the possibility that the ultimatum will indeed be carried out, implying the renewal of the Houthis’ naval blockade. The possibility of resuming missile fire from Yemen is also being considered. Israel has emphasized that there is close coordination with US Central Command (CENTCOM) in anticipation of such scenarios, and Israeli officials are counting on a "harsher response" from the United States against the Houthis than what was seen during Biden's administration.

During his first month in office, President Donald Trump designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization and imposed sanctions on senior Houthi officials. Israel, for its part, has attacked the Houthis in Yemen five times during the ongoing war. Despite the significant destruction inflicted on several of their key assets, the Houthis are now threatening a "second round" of confrontation.

The last Israeli attack in Yemen occurred on January 10, 10 days before the second Trump presidency was ushered in. The first attack, carried out in Operation Long Arm, occurred on July 20 of the previous year, followed by attacks on September 29, during Operation White City on December 19, and during Operation "Sounds of the Vineyard" on December 26. The port of Hodeidah was targeted multiple times in these airstrikes.