In a bold and aggressive move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a strike that killed the Houthi prime minister, but the key question remains: will it stop the missiles? Netanyahu hailed the operation as a “fatal blow,” but experts are skeptical of its long-term impact.
The Israeli action was a retaliation for the Houthis’ persistent missile attacks and Red Sea disruptions, which the group links to the Gaza conflict. Netanyahu has warned that all Houthi leaders are now fair game.
The strike was a remarkable intelligence and military feat, but it failed to eliminate the key military figures responsible for the missile attacks, including the Houthi chief of staff. This leaves the group’s offensive capabilities largely intact.
The Houthis have vowed revenge, and analyst Yoel Guzansky cautioned that the strike is unlikely to “change the motivation of the Houthis to keep attacking.” The assassination may have killed a leader, but it has not killed the cause.