The missile that struck Ben Gurion Airport this week wasn’t just another headline – it was a loud, deliberate message from Yemen’s Houthis, and a wake-up call to anyone still under the illusion that this is a local conflict. Predictably, Israel responded with an airstrike – because that’s what it does: blow something up, feel momentarily avenged, and move on. But let’s not kid ourselves. These tit-for-tat retaliations, no matter how surgical or satisfying, won’t stop the next missile. They might win headlines, not wars. What’s needed isn’t another symbolic boom, but a real strategy – one that ends Houthi dominance at its root.
Who Are the Houthis and Why Are They So Powerful?
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, began in the early 1990s as a minority Zaydi Shia revivalist movement in Yemen’s northern Saada region. Decades of government neglect and social marginalization morphed them into a militant faction. By 2014, they seized the capital Sana’a and ousted the internationally recognized Yemeni government, quickly becoming the de facto rulers of northern Yemen.
Despite representing only 35 percent of Yemen’s population, the Houthis dominate vast regions of the country. Their power stems from strategic tribal alliances, religious zealotry, and totalitarian control over institutions. They tax businesses, control checkpoints, and profit from Yemen’s ports and black markets. Even humanitarian aid becomes a revenue stream under their control. Crucially, their rise has been backed by Iran, which supplies missiles, drones, and intelligence – transforming the Houthis into a proxy force capable of long-range attacks like today’s strike on Tel Aviv’s doorstep.
A Local Conflict with Global Consequences
What was once a domestic civil war has now evolved into a geopolitical flashpoint. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital corridor for 15 percent of global trade. Oil tankers and commercial vessels have been forced to reroute, increasing global energy prices and maritime insurance. These aren’t random acts – they’re coordinated disruptions designed to project power and serve Iran’s strategic interests.
Recent Houthi strikes on Israel, including the hit on Ben Gurion Airport, reflect their effort to elevate themselves as the vanguard of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” against the West and Israel. Their ability to hijack regional stability and global commerce gives them influence far beyond their borders.
The Illusion of Deterrence: Why Bombing Isn’t Enough
Since March 2025, the United States has significantly escalated its military campaign against the Houthis, targeting radar sites, missile facilities, and drone warehouses. Yet despite these increased strikes, the Houthis remain unshaken. They continue to launch missiles, assert control, and push their narrative of divine resistance.
Israel’s response to the airport strike followed the same pattern: a swift airstrike, a dramatic video release – but ultimately, nothing that changes the equation. The Houthis have proven time and again that retaliation alone doesn’t deter them – it feeds their narrative.
Saudi Arabia’s Over-Cautious Diplomacy
While Riyadh has spent nearly a decade fighting the Houthis, its recent shift toward diplomacy and de-escalation has arguably backfired. Peace talks and reduced air operations may have been meant to minimize civilian suffering, but to the Houthis, it’s an invitation to expand. Saudi restraint, while morally commendable, has translated into strategic vulnerability.
A Real Solution: Build a Coalition, Not a Hashtag
What’s needed now is not more airstrikes but a broad, focused coalition effort to decisively undermine the Houthi regime. This strategy should resemble Turkey’s successful intervention in Syria, which combined, intelligence, and regrouping and training local militias that had annihilated Assad’s regime.
Key elements of this strategy:
- Empower a Ground Force: Regroup all the factions and form and train elite Yemeni units from tribal militias, Southern Transitional Council forces, and defected army elements. Provide funding, logistics, and command support through a U.S.-Saudi-led operational center.
- Intelligence-led Operations: The United States with Israel, with its advanced SIGINT and HUMINT capabilities, should supply real-time targeting intelligence to neutralize Houthi leadership and missile infrastructure – permanently.
- Naval and Economic Blockade: Escalate interdiction of Iranian weapons shipments via sea and land routes. Apply pressure to cut off Iran’s direct support – because without Tehran’s drones, the Houthis are just another militia with rifles.
- Rebuild Yemeni Governance: Support a post-Houthi transitional authority inclusive of all major Yemeni factions, reflecting the country’s true demographic composition and Sunni majority.
Addressing the Source: Iran’s Hand Must Be Checked
None of this will work unless Iran pays a price for its proxy warfare. Tehran continues to arm, fund, and train the Houthis in clear violation of international norms. If the international community is serious about ending this conflict, Iran’s role must be confronted head-on – not with vague condemnations, but with real economic, cyber, and diplomatic pressure.
Conclusion: Strategy Over Spectacle
Airstrikes may scratch the itch for vengeance, but they won’t end the war. The Houthis thrive in chaos and play the long game. They’ve turned Yemen into a launchpad for regional disruption – and the longer they hold power, the more dangerous they become.
The smoke over Ben Gurion Airport may have cleared but one truth remains: retaliation is not a strategy. Only a coordinated effort to dismantle Houthi power at its core can bring lasting peace to Yemen and stability to the region.
Victory is not in how hard you hit back – but in how decisively you end the fight.
