Conflicts
published : 2023-12-10
Israel Warns US of Military Action Against Yemen's Houthis If Unresolved
Israel to Respond Militarily to Houthi Attacks on Israeli Ships if US Fails to Act
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly conveyed to President Biden that Israel will take military action against Yemen's Houthi movement if the United States does not intervene, according to Israeli publication N12News.
The Iran-aligned group has been causing trouble for Israeli and U.S. forces in the Middle East since Israel's conflict with Hamas began.
Israel's national security chief of staff, Tzachi Hanegbi, mentioned the country's intention to retaliate against the group for their attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab strait, which is a crucial route for shipping oil globally.
The Houthi movement, which has targeted Israeli vessels and seized some of them in recent incidents, has also fired ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel.
According to the post on X, Hanegbi revealed Netanyahu's message to President Biden: 'If you don't act against the Houthis, we will act militarily.'
While Fox News Digital reached out for comments from the White House, the State Department, and Netanyahu's office, no response was received.
The threat from Israel comes after three commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea, resulting in the U.S. warship USS Carney shooting down multiple Houthi drones approaching the ships.
The drones were launched from areas of Yemen under Houthi control, as per a U.S. official.
Fortunately, there were no casualties among the crew members of the targeted vessels.
In recent weeks, the Houthis also captured a British-owned cargo ship linked to an Israeli company.
To curb Houthi attacks, the U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and entities that provide financial support to the group.
Houthi officials claim that their actions are in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel considers these attacks on ships as acts of terrorism orchestrated by Iran, posing threats to international maritime security.
A Houthi military spokesperson warned that all ships bound for Israeli ports in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea would be targeted if Gaza does not receive essential supplies.
Reporters from Reuters and Fox News have contributed to this report.
Michael Dorgan, a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, can be contacted for tips and updates on Twitter.
