The Houthis Reject a U.S. Proposal: Escalation is the Next Step

An Israeli newspaper revealed on Friday that the Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis, in Yemen rejected a proposal by the United States aimed at stopping their ongoing attacks on the State of Israel in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The Hebrew newspaper “Israel Hayom” cited unnamed security sources stating, “The Houthis have rejected a U.S. proposal for negotiations and a cessation of attacks on Israel.”

The same sources added that the next step for the Houthis is “escalation of the confrontation” with Israel.

This comes amidst Israeli reports expressing concerns about entering a war of attrition with the Houthis in Yemen following escalated confrontations between the two sides in the wake of Israeli attacks on Yemen.

A strategic expert from the Hebrew newspaper “Maariv” wrote in an article days ago that “the failure to wage war against the Houthis raises fundamental questions within Israel about the methods not being used against them, leading us into a war of attrition we are unprepared for, causing our exhaustion.”

In the same vein, a report published by “The New York Times” highlighted the difficulties faced by Israel in dealing with missiles launched by the Houthis from Yemen at Israeli targets inside the occupied territories.

Earlier on Friday, the Ansar Allah group “the Houthis” announced they had carried out two attacks on locations in central Israel, continuing their operations in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Yemeni group, stated, “The missile force of the Yemeni armed forces carried out a military operation targeting the power station belonging to the Israeli enemy east of the occupied Yafa area, using a Palestine2 hypersonic missile.”

In a speech before a crowd of demonstrators in solidarity with Gaza in the city of Sanaa, he also said, “The drone air force also carried out a military operation targeting an Israeli military site in the occupied Yafa area, using a Yafa-type drone.”

In support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, the Houthis continue to target Israeli interests in the region, while the United States, which has announced the formation of an international coalition named “Guardian of Prosperity” to address the Houthi attacks, seeks to deter the group from launching their operations in the Red Sea.

The United States has launched several attacks on locations in Yemen, since the first strike conducted by Washington in cooperation with London on January 12, 2024; aimed at deterring the Yemeni group, which has declared that U.S. and British interests are legitimate targets following the targeting.