Preparing for Military Action
Egyptian sources report that Cairo is gearing up for the possibility of a military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Amid escalating threats to international shipping routes, which serve as vital arteries for global trade, Egypt has shown increasing readiness to intervene in the Yemeni arena. Fighter jets, including Rafales and F-16s, are being prepared for airstrikes targeting the Houthis.
Economic and Strategic Considerations
Egypt’s actions are driven not only by security concerns but also by economic necessity. The goal is to ensure the continued flow of trade through strategic waterways. This preparation comes in response to Houthi attacks that have caused a significant drop in Egypt’s revenues from the Suez Canal—a key maritime trade route valued at approximately $7 billion annually.
Continued Houthi Strikes
Following the overnight interception of a missile launched from Yemen before it crossed into Israel, reports emerged of three coalition airstrikes by U.S. and British forces in Yemen’s Saada Province. Alarms were triggered in Talmei Elazar near Hadera at 12:21 a.m.
It is noteworthy that, two nights ago (Thursday to Friday), sirens were heard in Gush Dan and other widespread areas. For the first time, sirens also sounded across all of Jerusalem following a missile launch from Yemen. The missile was successfully intercepted, but fragments of the interception landed in areas including Jerusalem, Mateh Yehuda, and the Modi’in region. On Friday morning, another UAV was launched from Yemen, which was also intercepted outside Israeli borders.
