Saudi Arabia is getting entangled with the Houthis - and Israel has exactly what it needs

After the Houthis surprised Israel in October 2023, the IDF Intelligence Directorate established a dedicated Yemen arena within three years, including intelligence gathering, defense, and attack capabilities. Now, the accumulated Israeli knowledge and experience may become a strategic asset for Saudi Arabia and regional countries facing the Houthi threat.

Twelve days after the October 7, 2023 massacre, the Houthis launched an attack on Israel, including ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Eilat. Israel was surprised – the Houthis were not on Israeli intelligence's radar. In response, the IDF established a dedicated Yemen array based on three circles: intelligence (collection, monitoring, and cooperation with Arab intelligence organizations), defense (responding to missile and drone fire and closing shipping routes), and attack (striking ports and disrupting supplies). Head of the Intelligence Directorate, Major General Shlomi Binder, established a dedicated arena, recruiting members of the Yemenite community and founding an intelligence school. The results translated into Air Force and Navy strikes deep in Yemen, and the Houthis lowered their profile. Now, the accumulated knowledge may serve as a strategic asset for Saudi Arabia.