Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are training for an invasion of Israel, 1,200 miles away, according to a report on Thursday.
The terrorist group recently completed the training of its third cohort of elite operatives for a planned invasion it has dubbed “Al-Aqsa Flood,” according to Israel Hayom defense correspondent Yoav Limor. The name is the same Hamas used for its invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israel was monitoring the threat, according to the report.
The Israel Hayom article included a YouTube video showing Houthi terrorists training on obstacle courses and at a shooting range that featured the flags of Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Israel Defense Forces had not responded to a JNS request for comment by the time of publication.
The Houthis have been launching missile and drone attacks on the Jewish state since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, resulting in a direct missile hit near Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on May 4.
In response, the Israeli Air Force on the night of July 6 carried out a series of strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen, including facilities at the ports of Al Hudaydah, Ras Isa and Salif, as well as a power plant.
Jerusalem has conducted several rounds of strikes against the terrorist group, including an operation on May 28 called “Golden Jewel,” targeting the airport in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital city, Sanaa.
Houthis threaten ships linked to Israeli trade
Since the Israel-Hamas war began, the Houthis have launched assaults on commercial ships perceived to be linked to Israel, describing these attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians. The terrorist group on Sunday announced an escalation of this campaign, stating that any vessel owned by companies doing business with Israeli ports could be targeted, according to Reuters.
In a televised address, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the measure was part of the Iranian-backed rebel group’s self-declared fourth phase of operations against Israel in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Saree warned that vessels would face attacks regardless of their nationality or destination if associated companies failed to heed their warnings. He urged nations with interests in the region to pressure Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza and to lift the blockade on the enclave. He linked any reduction in Houthi attacks to such actions.
In May, the United States announced it had reached an agreement with the Houthis to halt a military campaign against them in exchange for an end to attacks on general shipping. However, the Houthis clarified that this deal did not apply to vessels linked to Israel.
