Israel has stepped up the readiness of its naval forces amid growing concern over advances by Yemen’s Houthi group near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday.
The daily said Israel’s security establishment is closely monitoring developments after the Houthis expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strengthened their position around the key waterway.
Israeli assessments cited by the newspaper said the withdrawal of Yemeni government forces from Perim, also known as Mayyun Island, at the entrance to the strait had significantly increased the Houthis’ ability to influence maritime traffic.The development has raised concern in Israel over potential threats to commercial shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, which narrows to about 18 kilometers (11 miles) at some points.
Israeli assessments said the Houthis could use missiles and explosive-laden boats to target vessels transiting the strait.
The newspaper also reported criticism within Israel’s security establishment over what officials described as an “erosion of deterrence” and the failure of regional actors to halt the Houthi advance.
Amid the concerns, Israeli Navy commander Vice Adm. Eyal Harel ordered increased readiness among naval forces and command-and-control centers, while additional forces were deployed at sea, according to the report.Israeli officials also fear that a stronger Houthi position around Bab el-Mandeb combined with Iranian influence around the Strait of Hormuz could expand Tehran’s leverage over key regional maritime routes.
Around 98% of Israel’s imports arrive by sea, according to the newspaper.
Yemen had been under a relative lull since April 2022 after nearly 12 years of war between government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian-backed Houthis, who seized control of the capital Sanaa and large parts of the country in 2014.
Since late 2023 after the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip began, the Houthis have become increasingly involved in regional hostilities, launching attacks on Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, while recent renewed fighting has raised fears of a return to full-scale conflict in Yemen.
