Yemen Monitor / Occupied Jerusalem / Exclusive:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has elevated the rhetoric regarding the Yemeni Houthi group, warning of the danger posed by what he called a “very significant threat,” despite describing their missile operations as a “minor annoyance.”
In recent statements, Netanyahu sought to dismantle the image of a “nuisance” to emphasize the extreme and dangerous nature of the group, indicating that the matter goes beyond mere launching of intercepted ballistic missiles.
“The Houthis look like a minor annoyance. Every once in a while, they fire a ballistic missile at us, and we intercept those missiles. That looks like a small thing, but it’s not,” Netanyahu said in his statement. He stressed that the threat lies in the Houthis representing “an extremely extremist movement, possessing a self-production capability for ballistic missiles and other weapons.”
The striking aspect of the Israeli Prime Minister’s statements is his open linking of the Houthis’ capabilities and their ideology. He affirmed that the group “is committed to what they call ‘the plan to annihilate Israel’.” He considered this matter “not theoretical, but something that can develop over time,” holding Iran responsible for coordination and support, stating: “It is coordinated with Iran, and we will do everything necessary to remove this threat as well.”
