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Source: https://jcpa.org/the-houthis-gambit-targeting-israel-to-secure-survival/
The Houthis' Gambit: Targeting Israel to Secure Survival
(Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs) Catherine Perez-Shakdam - At first glance, the Houthis' recent aggression towards Israel appears to be an act of militant zealotry, a dutiful gesture of allegiance to their Iranian patrons. Yet, it represents a calculated bid for survival as the Iranian regime totters. In the labyrinth of tribal politics that governs much of Yemen, displays of force are the currency of credibility. The Houthis are making a spectacle of their resilience, a brash declaration to the world that they are a force to reckon with. The Houthis owe much of their rise to Tehran's patronage. Iranian weapons, training, and ideological guidance have been indispensable to their war effort. Yet their interests are beginning to diverge from those of Iran. The Iranian regime is not what it once was. Beset by crippling sanctions, domestic unrest, and an unrelenting campaign of international isolation, Tehran's ability to sustain its proxies is waning. Their strategy is to make a bold play now, while the spotlight is still theirs to command. From a Western perspective, the Houthis' targeting of Israel may seem the height of folly. Why provoke a nation with such formidable military might and with no direct involvement in Yemen's civil war? In Yemen's tribal culture, grand gestures are the lifeblood of political capital. By targeting Israel and issuing threats against the U.S., the Houthis are flexing their muscles in a way that resonates with their local and regional audience. It is a move designed to burnish their reputation as warriors. The Houthis' ultimate goal is to gain international recognition and legitimacy. In this, they are invoking a time-honored tradition of tribal negotiation. Strength is not just about winning battles; it is about commanding respect, which opens the door to dialogue. The Houthis are not merely inviting conflict; they are laying the groundwork for a seat at the negotiating table. The Houthis are not a militia bent on mindless destruction but a political actor navigating with the tools at its disposal. Their aggression towards Israel is less about ideology and more about positioning - an elaborate performance designed to secure survival in a shifting geopolitical landscape. The writer is Executive Director at the Forum for Foreign Relations in the UK.