by Raphael Yerusalmy
The attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea may in fact benefit Israel if it can help advance normalization with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Persian Gulf
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In the past few days, the Houthis of Yemen have intensified their campaign in several ways. They have expanded their theater of operations beyond the Red Sea and into the Indian Ocean. They held a "summit" to consult with Hamas and several Palestinian terrorist factions, going against the instructions they received from Iran to calm things down. And they announced they were going to equip themselves with hypersonic missiles.
This series of measures turns out to be particularly advantageous for Israel.
It should be noted that the Houthis are currently investing in an enterprise that has nothing to do with their raison d'être, which is separatist and national. Opposed to the internationally recognized central Yemeni government, the Houthis aim to establish a Shiite Islamic state. Since 2015, they have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition that intervened militarily to maintain this official government, which is now in exile.
The Houthi's recent activities in the Red Sea pose a serious threat to global maritime trade, and had the effect of forcing the international community to do what it had sought to avoid at all costs: militarily involve itself in maintaining security and stability in the Middle East.
The arrival of a naval coalition in the Red Sea is a boon for Israel, relieving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of the burden of this additional front. By extending their operations towards the Indian Ocean, the Houthis make it necessary to reinforce this coalition and to deploy it even in maritime areas which China and Iran wish to control. Beijing and Tehran do not see this latest Houthi initiative in a positive light either.
These acts of piracy have another beneficial effect: the potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Persian Gulf. It would be for purely commercial reasons, but add to existing geopolitical designs. In fact, large quantities of goods destined for Israel now pass through these Arab countries aboard road convoys, somewhat reviving the caravans of the Silk Road that crossed the region to the ports of the Mediterranean coast. Hamas and the Houthis, rather than sabotaging attempts to normalize Arab countries' ties with Israel, are facilitating their implementation on the ground. They create shared interests to defend.
By allying with Hamas, the Houthis isolate themselves from the rest of the region, which is largely staying on the sidelines. This marriage of convenience shows just how desperate Hamas is, seeking in the south, far from the combat zone, the support it relied on in the north and east. The two factions, both in Gaza and Yemen, are fighting against similar enemies. As far as Hamas is concerned, it's not the Israelis, but the PLO and the power they hold in Ramallah. The Houthis, for their part, are at war with Al-Qaeda, I.S. and several other Salafist movements. Here too, they unexpectedly lump together their rivals. Hamas is a hard-core jihadist movement — it does not represent the Palestinian national aspiration. The same applies to the Houthis, whose name is that of the tribe from which they mostly originate. Their organization, however, is called Ansar Allah, or "Army of God".
The ultimate blunder the Houthis are committing these days, emboldened by the cautiousness of the international coalition and heckled by Moscow, is boasting that they will soon have hypersonic missiles at their disposal. This would make them the first terrorist organization in the world to have this type of weaponry. The Houthi threat is not to be underestimated. Conservative figures speak of at least 250,000 soldiers and a heavy arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as attack drones. Certainly, the move to hypersonic is a red line that terrorists cannot be allowed to cross. Announcing it publicly will lead to a hardening of the positions of the international coalition and could even encourage it to carry out a preemptive assault.
The Houthi-Hamas alliance highlights the globality of the problem. And hence, of the solution. What is happening in Gaza has global repercussions. Let's not forget that, in addition to economic damage, Houthi attacks cause enormous ecological damage to marine life. Like environmental protection, progressive values are being challenged here by those of darkness.
The entrance of the Houthis into the arena is beneficial to Israel in more ways than one. So from here, in Tel Aviv, I send them this message of gratitude. Thank you, Houthis!
Raphael Yerusalmy
Source: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/analysis-opinion/artc-thank-you-houthis-why-the-red-sea-attacks-may-actually-help-israel-analysis
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