News - Yemen: Intelligence officials in the Israeli entity have admitted to being caught off guard by the military capabilities of Yemen’s Armed Forces, acknowledging that Yemen produces its own weapons and successfully conceals its stockpiles. They also noted the increasing challenges in countering this emerging threat.

A report published by The Telegraph on Sunday, quoting intelligence sources from the Israeli entity, stated that “the Houthis surprised the Jewish state.” The sources revealed that Yemen possesses a sophisticated domestic weapons production program, with facilities and stockpiles dispersed in undisclosed locations, making them difficult to target or destroy.

The officials admitted that Israel is struggling to gather reliable intelligence on the “Houthis”. “We always believed the Houthis were not an Israeli problem but rather an issue for the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Now, we’re starting intelligence efforts from scratch,” they said.

They further highlighted the logistical difficulties in gathering intelligence, citing Yemen’s geographical distance and lack of shared borders with Israel. As a result, the Israeli entity reportedly relies heavily on cooperation with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to obtain intelligence.

According to the report, Yemen’s military capabilities include advanced missiles and drones with stockpiles sufficient to sustain operations for years.

These admissions reflect growing concern and a sense of helplessness within Israeli circles. In recent days, both Hebrew and American media have been filled with analyses and official statements acknowledging the challenge of deterring Yemen’s military activities. Many of these assessments conclude that halting the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza remains the most viable solution to reduce tensions.

The Jerusalem Post also reported on Israel’s challenges in dealing with Yemen, noting that despite extensive aerial and satellite surveillance, Yemeni forces remain largely unscathed. The report emphasized that attacks originating from Yemen are unlikely to decrease, regardless of responses from the US or Israel, underlining the resilience and effectiveness of Yemeni military operations targeting Israeli territory.

The report also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s decade-long campaign against Yemen, which, despite massive spending on weapons and continuous bombardment, has failed to defeat the “Houthis”. This prolonged resilience continues to alarm Israeli military planners.

Similarly, the US-based Soufan Center for Security Studies stated that neither global nor regional powers have succeeded in deterring Yemen’s Armed Forces. The center warned that an expanded Western military campaign in Yemen could provoke the “Houthis” to resume strikes on Gulf countries, creating further instability.

Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on a technical failure in Israel’s Home Front Command, which delayed the publication of missile alerts in dozens of cities following a Yemeni missile strike.

For over a year, the Yemeni Armed Forces have been engaged in the Battle of the Promised Conquest and the Holy Jihad in support of the Palestinian people facing genocidal aggression in Gaza.

The Yemeni forces have conducted regular missile and drone strikes against the Israeli entity while enforcing a maritime blockade to prevent ships from reaching Israeli ports.