Foreign Minister Israel Katz of Likud addressed Israel's campaign against the Houthis from Yemen and admitted that it is a task he would rather see the U.S.-led maritime security coalition handle, due to the understanding that the vast distance between Israel and Yemen is a major disadvantage for Israel.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Katz stated that he does not believe the Houthis have been deterred by a single Israeli attack and that Israel is preparing for further assaults: "They will continue. The Houthis work with Hezbollah, the most powerful of the Iranian militant groups, and with Shia militias in Iraq."
When asked whether Israel has a target list in Yemen, Katz replied: "Yes, since the beginning of the war, after they attacked Israel, our intelligence has been working to ensure we have enough."
However, he admitted that the large distance makes it difficult for Israel to conduct attacks in Yemen and conceded that "we prefer the coalition to lead the war against the Houthis."
Regarding the situation in the north, Katz said: "We will not accept a 'quiet for quiet' formula. We have about 70,000 people evacuated from the north, and we cannot return them until they feel safe. This is why there is a high likelihood of a larger conflict with Lebanon."
