News - Middle East: A Zionist official stated that Israel must accept Yemeni missile strikes as a new reality for as long as its aggression and blockade on Gaza persist.

Zvika Haimovich, former commander of Israel’s Air Defense Forces, acknowledged that Israel cannot deter Yemen through airstrikes. He emphasized that the only way to stop the missile attacks is to end the war and lift the siege on Gaza. Until then, Israel will have to rely on its imperfect air defense systems.

In an article on the Hebrew website Walla, Haimovich wrote that neither Israel nor the US can subdue Yemen through air power—pointing out that 45 days of strikes, and even 19 months of aggression, have failed to halt Yemeni operations. He noted that wars cannot be won by airstrikes alone, especially against a country like Yemen located over 2,100 km from occupied territories.

Haimovich, now an advisor at the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, acknowledged that Yemen’s air blockade is not complete, but the past two weeks have seen dozens of airlines suspend flights to Israel. He warned this has caused severe economic damage, as the continued missile and drone threats delay the return of international aviation.

He reiterated that the solution lies in ending the war on Gaza and releasing hostages, which would immediately halt attacks from Yemen. Until then, he said, “Millions of settlers will continue to flee to shelters every few days, hoping interception systems can block incoming missiles. We’ll keep hearing about Israeli strikes on the same Yemeni ports and airports, and the cycle will continue.”

He concluded by warning that Yemen can sustain its missile campaign for a long time, given its production capacity, supply resilience, and ideological motivation—making this an open-ended battle.

Since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemen has positioned itself as a key regional actor in support of the Palestinian cause. The Yemeni Armed Forces have launched a series of escalating military operations, including missile and drone attacks and the imposition of naval and aerial blockades, targeting Israeli-linked interests and infrastructure.

Initially focusing on the Red Sea and the port of Umm Al-Rashrash (Eilat), Yemen disrupted Israeli and international shipping routes. In May 2025, the campaign reached a new phase with the declaration of a naval blockade on Haifa Port in northern occupied Palestine, signaling both strategic escalation and expanding operational reach.

Amid this backdrop, Israeli media outlets have increasingly acknowledged the effectiveness of Yemen’s operations and their growing impact on Israeli security and economy, reinforcing the perception that only a political solution—namely, ending the war on Gaza—can halt the rising Yemeni attacks.