Jerusalem
CNN
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “protect himself” against Yemeni Hooti rebels after President Donald Trump signed a deal with an Iran-backed group.
The US contract was announced hours after Israeli forces launched a massive strike against Yemen’s international airports and other facilities in response to attacks on Israeli major airports. It was a surprise to Israel.
According to Trump, the US will halt its ongoing military campaign against the Hoosis in exchange for a group that will stop attacks on U.S. interests in the region.
Houthis has confirmed the agreement but has made it clear that the attacks on Israel will continue. Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, senior leader of Houthi, said the agreement was “a victory and Netanyahu’s failure to separate US support for the temporary entity (Israel).”
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said, “Israel will defend itself.” In the past, Israel has joint strikes with the US against the Houtis, but was carried out on its own for the second day in a row of Israel’s attacks on Yemen earlier this week. “If others join us – all our American friends are better. Otherwise we will still protect ourselves,” he said in a video posted on social media.
Trump called the deal a surrender from the Hoosis on Tuesday, but on Wednesday he said there was “good results with the Hoosis,” adding that they have “a great ability to withstand punishment” repeatedly from US strikes.
“You can say there’s a lot of courage there,” Trump said in the oath of China’s Ambassador at the White House. “What they took was amazing.”
He added that the United States “respects their (houthis’) commitment” to not attack US or commercial vessels in the region.
The ceasefire between the US-Houches has been on the sidelines of the Israeli government, according to former US Middle Eastern envoy Dennis Ross.
He said that when the US began talking to Hamas in March, Netanyahu was left in the dark and only learned of the US nuclear talks when Trump made an announcement next to the oval prime minister last month. The US-Houthi ceasefire is another example of Israeli concerns being a higher consideration for the White House.
Whether or not the Houthi ballistic missile will be launched against Israel remains ongoing, but Ross told CNN that Israel appears to be a major factor in the White House thought process.
“The Trump administration is thinking about American interests,” Ross said.
There was no public criticism from Israeli officials of the White House’s decision. Netanyahu, who once openly criticised the Biden administration’s demands and policies, is one of Trump’s most vocal international supporters. Other members of the government have similarly reserved their judgment, focusing instead on Israel’s resolve to the Houtis.
“Israel must be able to defend itself against threats and enemies. This is true in the face of many past challenges and remains true in the future,” Israeli Defense Minister Katz said in a statement Thursday.
On the final day of his first term as president, Trump designated the Hooty Group as a foreign terrorist organization. President Joe Biden revoked that designation early in the presidency of 2021, and Trump again designated it in January.