An Israeli’s perspective on the Houthis

I love to wake up every day at 4 o’clock. It’s quiet and peaceful. Years ago, we used to set our clocks, but then we started using Siri and Alexa, which did a marvelous job.

Today we have the Houthis. 

From the beginning of the war on the 7th of October 2023, the Houthis have shot more than 180 missiles, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), and RPVs (remote-piloted vehicles) toward Israel. 

The drills and practices here in Israel are always the same. We run/walk to the shelter, wait for 10 minutes, and then go back to normal life. It’s amazing how fast we continue with our daily life.

I am sure that new friendships are developed in the shelters. Who knows how many love stories and weddings the Houthis have created. Their attacks have become part of Israel’s story, and so it’s worth learning a bit more about their story as well.

Who are the Houthis?

The Houthis began to establish themselves in Yemen in the late 1980s and 1990s as the result of a religious revival movement in Islam. They are from the Shia branch of the religion, though they differ from the Shia form of Islam seen in Iran.

The Houthis are part of the population in Yemen, though they have not always gotten along with the government there. 

From 2004 to 2010, the Houthis fought against the Yemeni official government with the support of Iran, which understood the potential of this terrorist group. While the primary goal of the Houthis is still religious—at least on the surface—the advancement of Islam is far from their only agenda. And that larger agenda is pursued through their status as proxies of Iran.

And like Iran, they have long seen the US and Israel in a similar light: both are enemies. As such, aiding Hamas and the Palestinians has helped to amplify their power in the region.

Moreover, all of the Houthis violent actions are also meant to send a message to Saudi Arabia and their allies: Be careful as we have enough ways to harm you too.

Still, the Houthis do not pose the same type of threat to the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia, or any of their neighboring countries as Iran does. Instead, their impact is the result of residing in close proximity to one of the most strategic locations in the world. 

A global problem

If you were to try and navigate a large cargo ship from Asia to the Mediterranean Sea, the map would give you 2 options: Turn right to the Gate of Tears and continue straight to the Suez Canal or go around Africa, watch the series Days of Our Lives from 1965 till 2020, and enjoy the winter.

It’s not hard to understand why most opt for the first of those routes.

Bab el-Mandab Strait, located between Yemen and the African countries of Djibouti and Eritrea, effectively connects two parts of the world. It allows ships loaded with goods from Asia and Africa to reach the Mediterranean and, from there, continue on to America.

Unfortunately, the Houthis call that Strait home. 

Due to the security threat in the region, many ships are already taking the long route which extends the voyage by many days and makes the entire process more expensive. Their attacks have resulted in a 40 percent decrease in traffic through the Suez Canal, which has had a dramatic impact on the world economy. 

You see, the global economy is largely dependent on navigating the seas. Most of the world’s trade between Asia, the United States, and Europe passes through these shipping lanes. Recently, the Houthis tried to attack 3 ships that were on their way to and from China. 

And undoing their presence in the region is no easy task.

The Houthis have been operating and attacking neighboring countries for years. They have scattered mines in Saudi ports and routinely attack with missiles. Moreover, the American Navy has repeatedly caught them smuggling weapons from Iran. 

And Iran’s part in all of this complicates matters even further.

“Continue on with our lives”

Iran has two navies: the Iranian army navy and the Revolutionary Guards navy. Yet, in recent years they have begun to develop a third. 

They have begun capturing civilian ships in order to place military forces on them and advance their presence in many places. American task forces, together with a global coalition of 38 countries and under the command of the commander of the 5th Fleet, are trying to stop the Houthis and Iran.

The Houthi’s success has demonstrated the effectiveness of harming shipping lanes, which has further exacerbated the problem. It must be stopped. And this is a global problem, not just an Israeli one.

The Houthis have shown not only the ability to shoot toward Israel but also to hijack Israeli ships. And their approach is mirrored with vessels from other nations as well.

When a cargo ship navigates the sea, many different entities are involved, from the ship’s owner to the company that operates under its flag and a crew from different countries. Moreover, cargo is transported to and from different places.

As such, these are typically not just Israeli ships. 

The United States has seemed to recognize that fact and is understandably concerned about protecting the world’s shipping lanes. That’s why President Trump authorized attacks against the Houthis last month and has been periodically bombing them ever since. 

But while the Americans are working to help, we need more countries to join the effort. The Houthis represent a global problem and so the solution should be global as well. 

Yet that is for governments to decide. Citizens can encourage them to act but most of us probably don’t have the missiles or military needed to get involved ourselves. 

Instead, the most important thing we can do immediately after a missile attack is to continue on with our lives. Enjoy every minute and show terrorists we are not intimidated. That is how we live in Israel, and there’s an important lesson in that approach for each of you as well. 

See you at 4 in the morning.