U.S. policy toward Houthi-led aggression against Israel is guided by the potential risk posed to American nationals, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee explained in a televised interview excerpt aired by Channel 12 on Thursday.
“The United States isn’t required to get permission from Israel to make some type of arrangement that would get the Houthis from firing on our ships,” Huckabee stated in a segment of the conversation that will be fully aired over the weekend.
His remarks came in the wake of President Donald Trump’s unexpected revelation earlier in the week that the U.S. had reached a direct ceasefire understanding with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, despite the group’s insistence that it will persist in attacking Israel.
Israeli officials reported that they were not given advance notice about the agreement. The announcement was made just 48 hours after a Houthi-launched missile exploded within the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport, dangerously close to the air traffic control tower. The attack caused minor injuries and led several international airlines to suspend flights into Israel.
Ambassador Huckabee, who previously served as governor of Arkansas, said his interpretation of Washington’s strategy was informed by discussions he held with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
“Here’s what I can tell you, because I had a conversation with both the president and the vice president last night,” Huckabee said. He added: “There’s 700,000 Americans living in Israel. If the Houthis want to continue doing things to Israel and they hurt an American, then it becomes our business.”
When pressed by Channel 12 to specify whether U.S. military involvement would hinge solely on whether an American is harmed in a Houthi attack, Huckabee responded, “It’s a matter of what becomes our immediate business.”
His stance closely mirrors that of President Trump, who, when questioned about the Houthis’ commitment to continuing strikes on Israel despite the truce with the U.S., remarked, “I’ll discuss that if something happens.”
On Wednesday, the Houthis launched a drone targeting Israel, which was successfully intercepted before reaching its destination.
The Houthis—who operate under the slogan “death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews”—have consistently targeted Israeli territory and maritime activity in the Red Sea since November 2023. Their actions have been framed as a gesture of support for Palestinians in Gaza, following the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which roughly 1,200 people were murdered and 251 individuals abducted.
Though the Houthis halted most attacks on commercial vessels around six months ago, this pause followed widespread rerouting of international shipping to avoid the region. While military strikes and rocket attacks paused temporarily earlier this year, hostilities resumed after Gaza ceasefire efforts collapsed in March.
In response to the resurgence of these threats, the U.S. ramped up its military campaign against the Iran-aligned group, launching a series of strikes across Yemen to deter attacks on maritime traffic. The Houthis had declared intentions to renew attacks on vessels linked to Israel across several maritime corridors, including the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The U.S. military has reported that since initiating “Operation Rough Rider” on March 15, it has conducted strikes on more than 1,000 Houthi targets. According to official statements, the operation has eliminated “hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders.”
{Matzav.com}
He is right of course, technically speaking. Morally, that is a different matter.