Israel Katz Threatens Houthi Leader After Yemen Drone Attack

Following a recent Houthi drone strike on a hotel in Eilat and multiple intercepted attacks including drones and a ballistic missile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Katz declared that al-Houthi would be "sent to meet his government plenary and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil who are waiting in the depths of hell," emphasizing a forthcoming defeat of the Houthi regime. Katz also vowed that the antisemitic slogan on the Houthi flag would be replaced by the Israeli blue-and-white flag flying over a unified Yemeni capital. The threats come after an Israeli airstrike on August 28 killed the Houthi prime minister and several ministers, as part of ongoing Israeli military actions against Houthi terror targets, including the Hodeidah port used for Iranian arms transfers. Since March 18, the Houthis have launched numerous ballistic missiles and drones at Israel amid the wider conflict involving Hamas. These developments highlight escalating tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.