Israel prepares for Houthi entry as war with Iran set to drag on

Shafaq News- Middle East

The Israeli military stated on Sunday that it is preparing for the possibility of Yemen’s Houthi movement (Ansarallah) entering the war, while warning that the conflict with Iran and Hezbollah could be prolonged.

Military spokesperson Effie Defrin told reporters that Israeli forces are ready if the Houthis decide to join the fighting. “We face a long battle in Iran and Lebanon, and we are prepared for the Houthis if they enter the war,” Defrin said.

He added that Israel is considering changes to home-front security guidelines in northern Israel following intensified attacks by Hezbollah, noting that Israeli forces continue to strike the group’s positions.

“There is no alternative but to disarm Hezbollah,” he said, adding that Israel will continue operations to remove threats along its northern border.

The remarks come amid a widening regional confrontation after US and Israeli strikes on Iran launched on Feb. 28, which caused extensive damage and killed senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded with attacks on Israeli targets and what it describes as US interests across the region, with the fallout affecting several countries including Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.