Stopping Houthis will take more than military action, Pentagon says

Yemen's Houthi leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi, warns of further escalation

A screen grab taken from a Houthi video purportedly shows the drone they used to attack Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024. EPA

Stopping the Houthis from attacking Israel and Red Sea shipping will take more than military action alone, the Pentagon's top officer said on Thursday as the Iran-backed group warned of further escalation in its campaign against Israel.

Gen CQ Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the international coalition based in the Red Sea is succeeding in reducing the Houthis' military capabilities.

“But at the same point, it's going to take more than just a military operation,” Gen Brown told Pentagon reporters.

“This is an engagement with the international community … to use various tools to put pressure on the Houthis to cease this.”

On July 19, a Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv hit a house near the US embassy branch office, killing one person and marking a significant escalation in the Gaza war.

Israel retaliated by attacking the port of Hodeidah, the main entry point for aid to Yemen.

Yemen's Houthi leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi, said a response to the Israeli strikes was “inevitable”.

The rebel chief called on supporters to form a “million man march” after Friday prayers in protest against Israel's attack and in support of the Palestinian people.

The Houthis are “focused on successfully launching an attack on Israel and this one drone that that was able to get through is something that … happened”, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said alongside Gen Brown.

“But when you consider the fact that they have tried to attack Israel some 200 plus times and this one got through, I think it speaks to the remarkable air defences that Israel has.”

On the Gaza war, Gen Brown said Israel has not provided detailed plans about what will follow the conflict, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the US Congress that Israel seeks to retain full control of the strip's security.

“As far as the day after, we have talked to the Israelis about this, how to make a transition. We've talked to them a number of times,” Gen Brown told Pentagon reporters yesterday.

“There's not a lot of detail that I've been able to see from a plan from them. This is something that we'll continue to work with them on.”

Mr Netanyahu on Wednesday gave a contentious address to Congress in which he said Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza.

“For the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel,” he said.

“Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That's not too much to ask.”