Israel intercepts drones and ballistic missiles launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

 

The WarZone.

Israel has intercepted drones and ballistic missiles launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. WarZone/The Drive. The Israelis used their Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missiles to intercept the weapons, were most likely Burkan-2 or Burkan-3 ballistic missiles. A large number of drones were also launched from Yemen and were destroyed. The Houthis are vowing more attacks and launched an additonal attack which was also intercepted by the Israelis. This is the third attack launched from Yemen, with the first being intercepted by an US Destroyer while the 2nd missed Israel and hit Egypt, wounding six people. With further attacks from Yemen expected and Hezbollah launching attacks as well, worries are growing that Iran could be getting ready to join the war. 

My Comment:

  This was something I predicted in my previous post. The Houthis had many of these Burkan-2 and Burkan-3 missiles left over from the war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. And given how much the Houthis hate Israel it is not surprising that they are launching them at Israel. 

What is somewhat surprising is that the Arrow-3 missiles actually intercepted these missiles. Given the angle that ballistic missiles come it at, most traditional anti-missile defenses are pretty useless. Apparently the Arrow-3 missiles get around this by hitting them in space, which is pretty cool. I do worry about the space junk such an interception will create though. 

 The question then becomes who has more weapons, Israel or the Houthis? My guess is that the Houthis don't actually have that many of these Burkans left. They used a large number of them during the war with the Saudis and the ones they have left won't be enough to overwhelm the Arrow missile defenses. And they might have difficulty getting more from Iran, given the circumstances. 

Though it is always a possibility that one or more of these missiles get through, I think the drones are actually a much bigger threat to the Israelis. Though they have been effective in knocking these drones out of the sky so far, that does not mean that will continue. Drones are cheap, easy to use and easy to transport. It's very possible that the Israelis will run out of defenses before the Houthis run out of drones.

And there isn't much the Israelis can do to stop these attacks either. They could launch airstrikes and missile attacks against the Houthis but those are going to be tied up in Syria and Lebanon, fighting Hezbollah and other Iran backed militias. And it's not easy to find mobile missile launchers, just look at the Scud hunts during Desert Storm. Let alone the much more mobile and easy to hide, it would not be easy for the Israelis to destroy these drone operators. 

Unlike the article though, I am not too worried about Iran joining the war. They are content to use their proxies to attack Israel instead. They want to pressure Israel and they can do that without committing their own forces.