Optimism grows in Yemen over possible offensive against Houthis — Jerusalem Post
Optimism is growing in Yemen over a possible new offensive against the Houthis. According to The Jerusalem Post, this may be linked to Iran’s diminished ability to support allied groups in the region.
Pressure on Iran’s allies
The author of the analysis notes that Iran, despite U.S. and Israeli strikes in February, has not collapsed. At the same time, in his view, the country’s blockade and weakening could limit its ability to finance allies, supply them with weapons and provide technological support.
The author considers the Houthis among the last Iranian allies that have not faced the same pressure and combat losses as Hezbollah and Hamas. The article says that Hezbollah’s missile arsenal has shrunk significantly, while Hamas has lost a substantial number of fighters and half of the territory of the Gaza Strip.
The Jerusalem Post also mentions Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq, whose strength is estimated at around 100,000 fighters. Some of them may agree to transfer weapons under state control, while others demand the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by September 30.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Assessment of a possible operation
Michael Knights, an expert at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote that the Houthis defend cities and coastal areas poorly, but are harder to dislodge from mountainous territory. In his assessment, no Yemeni offensive operation so far has created a sufficient second echelon of forces to exploit a breakthrough in the central mountain massif.
Knights believes that a successful operation against the Houthis would require a simultaneous offensive from more than six directions with air support. The Jerusalem Post author writes that Iran had previously transported weapons to the Houthis by sea, including missile components, and that a possible halt to such deliveries could weaken the group.
The publication notes that the outcome of a possible offensive is undetermined: the Houthis may begin losing territory, or the operation may stall. In the author’s view, pressure on Iran’s allies could complicate their recovery.
