News - Yemen: Yemeni military expert Colonel Rashad Al-Wateeri affirmed on Thursday that the ongoing escalation carried out by the Yemeni Armed Forces against the Israeli entity conveys clear strategic messages and reflects significant advancements in Yemen’s military capabilities—particularly in ballistic missiles and drones—against an army considered among the strongest in the world.

Speaking to Al-Masirah TV, Al-Wateeri said the missile operations demonstrate the failure of the Israeli enemy’s defense systems. He noted that these attacks go beyond their direct military impact, exerting heavy psychological and moral pressure on the entity.

He stressed that Yemen continues to support the Palestinian cause through practical measures, underscoring that the Israeli enemy will never achieve security as long as occupation and blockade persist.

According to Al-Wateeri, the latest operations prove Yemeni superiority in aerial warfare, forcing the enemy to explore new alternatives and strategies, including attempts to form regional alliances to confront the escalation. He added that this superiority reflects the resilience of Yemen’s popular and political will, as well as rapid advances in local missile technology capable of bypassing air defenses and striking deep targets with precision.

The expert also highlighted the evident failure of the enemy’s intelligence apparatus, which has resorted to indiscriminate attacks on civilians—a sign of its inability to identify the Yemeni military’s infrastructure. He stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces have imposed a new deterrence equation, directly impacting the Israeli enemy’s economy by targeting vital facilities such as ports, airports, and energy centers.

In a related development, the American outlet WZ reported that the US Navy, in coordination with NATO, is seeking to develop a new missile system to replace the “Sparrow,” amid the growing need for advanced defenses against Yemeni attacks in the Red Sea. Recent operations have exposed major vulnerabilities in Western defense systems.

Since joining the battlefield in support of Gaza following the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October 2023, Yemen has transformed from a peripheral actor into a decisive regional force. Its military operations, initially seen as symbolic, have evolved into an effective strategy of deterrence that has altered the rules of engagement.

The Yemeni campaign has not only inflicted material and strategic losses on the Israeli enemy but has also shifted regional and international calculations. By striking economic lifelines and undermining the myth of Israeli security superiority, Yemen has redefined its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict—positioning itself as a central player in shaping the future balance of power in the region.