Following a request by the United States, Israel is considering holding off its response to missiles fired recently from Yemen. The US has reportedly asked Israel to refrain from targeting Houthi positions, with a senior official saying, "Leave it to us”. This follows an overnight ballistic missile attack by Houthi rebels on March 20 aimed at central Israel, which was intercepted by Israeli air defences and did not reach Israeli soil. There were no reports of damage or injuries. The attack, however, triggered warning sirens across central Israel, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and their suburbs, forcing millions of residents to scramble to bomb shelters at 4 in the morning.
Washington has urged Tel Aviv to allow American forces, currently engaged in operations against the Iran-supported Houthis, to handle any retaliation. Israel is likely to heed the American request, avoiding airstrikes previously conducted by its Air Force. Such operations are logistically challenging because of the distance between Israel and Yemen, necessitating mid-air refuelling. While the IAF has demonstrated its long-range capabilities, the US, with aircraft carriers positioned in the region, possesses better capacity for sustained strikes, as evidenced by its recent attack on Houthi targets.
The Houthi attack against Israel on March 20 was the first such incident in two months. Earlier, US strikes (on March 15) in Yemen killed over 23 and injured more than 20, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. The US hit Yemeni capital Sana and the Houthi stronghold of Saada in the northwestern part of the country. The Houthis, however, have vowed to continue targeting Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, undeterred by American military action or appeals from allies like Iran, who reportedly urged de-escalation via diplomatic channels. It is believed that Iran delivered messages to the Houthis via Oman.
The US has, meanwhile, signalled a firm stance, with President Donald Trump condemning Houthi attacks on American vessels and disruptions to global shipping lanes, pledging overwhelming force to protect freedom of navigation. “Watch how it will get progressively worse—it is not even a fair fight, and never will be,” wrote Trump on his social media platform Truth Social. “They will be completely annihilated.”
The recent strikes against the Houthis have been the largest American military operation since Trump took charge in January. He said he would hold Iran responsible for the strikes and has also set a two-month deadline before Tehran to reach a nuclear deal with the US.