By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli military forces have faced significant challenges in countering Houthi missile and drone attacks since the beginning of the war on Gaza in October 2023, according to Israeli newspaper Maariv.
The latest incident occurred earlier Saturday when a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis struck the Israeli capital Tel Aviv, injuring 20 people, according to local sources. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the strike.
Maariv’s report said that the Houthis have launched over 200 ballistic missiles and 170 drones at Israeli targets, severely testing Israel's defense capabilities.
It added that Israel’s defense mechanisms, particularly the Iron Dome and other air defense systems, have struggled to cope with the evolving threat posed by the Houthis.
Although many missiles and drones have been intercepted by Israeli and American forces, the sheer volume and sophistication of the attacks have continued to strain Israel’s defenses, it noted.
The report emphasized that the Israeli military is facing significant difficulties in both defending against and responding to the attacks.
It acknowledged that since the war’s beginning, the Houthis have inflicted significant damage on the regional economy, particularly Israel’s.
The report criticized Israel’s military response and intelligence preparation, claiming that the country was unprepared for the threat posed by the Houthis.
“Israel was not ready - either politically or in terms of intelligence - to deal with the threat coming from Yemen,” the report said.
The Israeli military and intelligence agencies only began reacting after the Houthis’ missile and drone strikes intensified, according to the report.
Maariv stressed that efforts by the Israeli military, including airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, were seen as little more than public relations gestures.
The report also highlighted the increasing involvement of Iran in supporting the Houthi forces.
“Iran has invested more in the Houthis in recent weeks following the collapse of the Shiite axis, making the Houthi movement a leader of this axis,” the report noted.
The failures of Israel’s air defense systems were underscored, with Maariv reporting that the "Arrow" missile defense system, Israel's main line of defense against ballistic missiles, had failed four times in a row to intercept missiles, including three launched from Yemen and one from Lebanon.
The Houthis, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing an Israeli genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, expressing a determination to continue operations until the end of the onslaught on the enclave.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara