Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar directed Israel’s diplomatic missions across Europe, including those in EU member states and the UK, to push for the designation of Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organization on Tuesday.
This announcement came just hours after a ballistic missile from Yemen was intercepted before it could enter Israeli airspace, triggering sirens across central Israel.
Sa’ar emphasized the importance of the directive, saying, “The Houthis pose a threat not only to Israel but to the region and the entire world. The direct threat to freedom of navigation in one of the busiest maritime routes globally is a challenge to the international community and the world order. The most basic and fundamental step is to designate them as a terrorist organization.”
This directive comes in the wake of a series of Houthi attacks on Israel over the last week, which included the launch of ballistic missiles targeting central Israel. These missiles struck, among other places, a school in Ramat Gan and a location near a playground in Jaffa.
Since October 7, the Houthis have launched an aggressive campaign against Israel, deploying hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs. Their leaders have publicly pledged to persist in their efforts to harm Israel and disrupt maritime navigation in the western seas, including the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. More than 100 vessels, including many European-flagged ships, have been attacked in the region during this campaign.
The Houthis are widely regarded as an Iranian proxy, with Tehran providing financial backing, weapons, training, and operational support—a fact repeatedly highlighted in United Nations Security Council reports.
The group has already been labeled a terrorist organization by nations such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Israel.
Recent Houthi attacks on Israel
On Saturday, sixteen people in Tel Aviv were lightly wounded by glass shards after a Houthi rocket fired from Yemen slammed into Jaffa.
Prior to that, during the early hours of Thursday morning, Yemen fired a missile toward central Israel. Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck Houthi targets in the capital of Sana'a in Yemen afterward.