by Haggai Huberman
Houthi forces are training for an invasion of Israel and occupation of IDF outposts and towns, just like Hamas on 10/7. Even if it seems impossible. Increasing reports on Houthi fighters infiltrating Syria and Jordan.
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| Houthis training in Yemen Screenshot |
Yesterday morning, the residents of the center of Israel woke up to a siren that they not heard in their area for a long time. This was after a missile had been fired, and this time not from Gaza Strip, but rather a missile launched by the Houthis from Yemen.
Israel is considering the Houthi threat mainly in terms of the type of its anti-aircraft missile, as on October 19, 2023, the Houthis launched attacks using cruise missiles and UAVs from Yemen, mainly to the Eilat area and southern Israel.
The Houthis took responsibility for attacks using ballistic missiles and joint attacks with the Islamic resistance in Iraq against targets in various areas of Israel. The most notable attack was launched on July 19, when a Houthi drone hit Tel Aviv, killing one civilian and injuring eight others. In response, the Israel Air Force attacked targets in the port of Al Hudaydah in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.
The missile launches by the Houthis overshadow a very significant question, which is recommended that it be taken into account: has anyone considered the feasibility of a ground invasion of Israel by the Houthis? It sounds unreal. The Houthis are in Yemen, over 2000 kilometers from Israel. It is possible to fire missiles over such a distance, but a ground attack?
For those who think this idea is far-fetched, we must remember that in the years preceding the Simchat Torah massacre (October 7th), Israel accrued a vast amount of information that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad collaborated in an exercise that simulated an invasion of enemy positions, an attack on his military bases, fighting in a built-up area, and the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers – all of which they eventually carried out on October 7, 2023.
The vast geographical distance between Yemen and Israel indeed sets a significant challenge for the Houthis to carry out a ground attack against Israel and in addition, two countries that are identified with the US-led coalition - Saudi Arabia and Jordan – lie between the feuding parties. The Houthis are working to overcome the geographical obstacle by strengthening cooperation with other resistance organizations, especially the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, that also operate on the border with Syria.
About six weeks ago, on August 5, it was reported that about 50 Houthi fighters arrived in Iraq, from where they crossed the border into Syria, under the supervision of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. According to another report, about 50 more Houthi fighters entered Syria through Iraq, this time accompanied by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, and arrived in southern Syria. The report claims that the Houthi fighters specialize in operating missiles and UAVs.
On August 11 news reports published that Jordan had secretly passed information to Israel according to which Houthi units had landed in Amman and were infiltrating Israel through the breached border.
The various reports showed that the Houthis came to Syria in groups of several dozen, over several months, mainly through Iran, Iraq and Jordan. It seems that most of the times the Houthi operatives enter Syria using civilian cover and are then sent to the Damascus area and southern Syria. Among others, it was reported that students and pilgrims were used to cover religious Shiite sites – a well-known operation in the context of the Iranian corridor to Syria.
Israel estimates that the ground forces, most of which have experience from the civil war in Yemen and the fighting against the coalition led by Saudi Arabia, number tens of thousands of soldiers who are equipped with a variety of weapons, such as assault rifles, sniper rifles, mortars, armored vehicles and tanks.
In recent weeks, the Houthis increased their public threats to act against Israel, including ground offensives. They also held military exercises that included scenarios of infiltration through tunnels, taking over Israeli bases and kidnapping soldiers. The last exercise was two weeks ago, on September 4. As part of the graduation ceremony of the Houthis' 310th Armored Brigade, which was held in memory of the "martyr Ismail Haniyeh", the graduates performed a military exercise of the infantry and armored forces which included the use of various types of weapons such as tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and sniper rifles. During the exercise, the forces attacked targets simulating Israeli forces and practiced infiltrating an Israeli town.
A report by the 'Information Center for Intelligence and Terrorism' shows that these exercises began with the outbreak of the war. Already in an exercise held on January 13, the fighters attacked Israeli targets from the air and from the ground and practiced taking over an Israeli village and headquarters, while taking hostages. The exercise included the use of drones, missiles and a tank. During the exercise, the activists stomped over the US flag and the picture of the Prime Minister of Israel.
An exercise called "Yemen for Palestine", which took place on February 3, simulated, among other things, an attack on Israeli outposts and communities, kidnapping of soldiers and the use of explosive drones against Israeli targets. On March 9, a combined exercise of armor, artillery and ground forces was held, which the Houthis claim is intended to prepare the forces for the "war of victory and holy jihad." During the exercise, they also practiced occupying Israeli outposts, using machine gun fire, explosive drones and launching rockets, as well as kidnapping soldiers from armored vehicles and the use of explosives against vehicles.
The "Destructive Flood" maneuver was held on July 1 in the Fourth Military District, with the participation of forces from the Air Force, armor, infantry, engineering and artillery, together with anti-tank missiles and snipers. The maneuver consisted of two main stages – practicing a combined attack against Israeli and British "enemy camps," including the use of tunnels, and then practicing defensive capabilities against an attack by the "enemy".
The security establishment should understand that the Houthis are seriously aiming to carry out a ground attack against Israel, also as part of their response to Israel's attack on the port of Al Hudaydah. The collaborations with Iran and the resistance organizations, led by the militias in Iraq and Hezbollah in Lebanon, allow the Houthis to overcome the great geographical distance between Yemen and Israel and move fighters closer to the border with Israel to carry out a limited direct ground attack on Israeli territory. The plan may include infiltrating a local village or military base, as they did in the exercises in Yemen, as well as the possibility of taking an active part in the fighting alongside Hezbollah, in the event of a significant escalation in the fighting in the north.
We must be prepared and not be surprised again, as we were on October 7, 2023.
Haggai Huberman
Source: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/396270
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