The move by Israel came through its instructions to its embassies across Europe in calling for the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen to be classified as a terrorist organization. This demonstrates the growing concern over the threat the Houthis will pose not only to Israel but also to regional and global stability.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar lost no time in impressing the urgency for such a designation, declaring: “The first and most basic thing to do is to designate them as a terrorist organization.” The Houthis have been very active in launching drones and missiles toward Israel in solidarity with Palestinians resisting Israeli forces in Gaza.
These hostile actions have raised alarms over international shipping routes, with companies rerouting their operations and adding to rising global inflation concerns. In response to the situation, Sa’ar has reached out to the president of the UN Security Council for an emergency session to condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran’s ongoing support of the group.
For the record, the Houthis are considered terrorists by any number of countries around the world today including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Israel as related by Sa’ar. To make matters worse, Israel’s military failed recently to intercept a missile coming from Yemen which landed in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area and injured 14 people.
