Houthis Target Marib Mosque, Govt Denounces Attack Against Mills

Houthi militiamen at an armed gathering in Sanaa | EPA
Houthi militiamen at an armed gathering in Sanaa | EPA
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Houthis Target Marib Mosque, Govt Denounces Attack Against Mills

Houthi militiamen at an armed gathering in Sanaa | EPA
Houthi militiamen at an armed gathering in Sanaa | EPA

Houthi militias on Friday fired a ballistic missile at a mosque in the Yemeni Marib governorate, killing and injuring 20 people during dawn prayers, military sources reported.

This coincided with Houthis stepping up their attacks against western Hodeidah governorate and targeting wheat mills there.

Local sources confirmed that the Houthi missile had hit a mosque inside the military camp of pro-government special forces in Marib. The attack is perceived as a desperate Houthi attempt to balance losses sustained on multiple battlefronts, especially those incurred in the vicinity of Marib.

Sources predicted that the number of victims killed by the missile will rise due to the critical injuries recorded.

An official statistic released last July revealed that the number of victims of Houthi attacks in Marib alone reached 700 deaths and injuries. The cases included women and children.

Covering the time period between April 2015 and July 2020, the statistic recorded 244 rocket attacks that killed and injured 689 Yemenis, 92 of which were children and women.

Caretaker Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani denounced the militias' attack against Red Sea mills.

“We strongly condemn the targeting of Iran-backed Houthi militia to the Red Sea mills, in Hodeidah, with artillery shelling, resulted in severe damage to the buildings of the mills, which are one of the most important development projects and pillars of the national economy,” Eryani tweeted.

Eryani, in an official statement, described that the Houthi attack against the mills constitutes a flagrant challenge to the international community and the UN, and further proves the Iran-backed militia’s lack of commitment to treaties.

He added that the attack is an escalation on behalf of the Houthis and aims to worsen an already bad situation in Hodeidah.

Eryani urged the UN chief, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths, and the Head of the United Nations Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) Lieutenant General (retired) Abhijit Guha to shoulder their responsibility and condemn the Houthi-committed atrocity.



Netanyahu’s Messages: Beyond Türkiye, Closer to Tel Aviv

Men inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike on Thursday morning, following the bombing in southern Hama Province (AFP). 
Men inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike on Thursday morning, following the bombing in southern Hama Province (AFP). 
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Netanyahu’s Messages: Beyond Türkiye, Closer to Tel Aviv

Men inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike on Thursday morning, following the bombing in southern Hama Province (AFP). 
Men inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike on Thursday morning, following the bombing in southern Hama Province (AFP). 

Following a series of intensified Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and the airports in Homs and Hama, as well as a ground incursion into the city of Nawa near Daraa, Israeli officials on Thursday escalated their rhetoric, issuing fresh threats to the Syrian leadership and warning of further military action—this time citing concerns over Turkish military activity in the region.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar voiced particular alarm over Türkiye’s growing role in Syria, Lebanon, and beyond. Speaking at a press conference in Paris, he said: “They are doing everything they can to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate. That is clearly their intention.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed this sentiment, stating that Israel “will not allow Damascus to become a security threat” to Israel.

Rising Concern Over Türkiye’s Military Footprint in Syria

Military officials in Tel Aviv confirm that Israel sees Türkiye’s growing military presence in Syria as a serious concern. Their fear stems from two key issues: first, Ankara’s reported efforts to rebuild the Syrian army along the lines of its own modernized military model; and second, its apparent goal of establishing a long-term military foothold inside Syrian territory.

Israeli defense sources point out that Türkiye’s armed forces operate based on a traditional ground warfare doctrine, featuring large-scale armored divisions and well-equipped infantry units—similar in style to the Russian military. This stands in contrast to the Israeli military, which relies heavily on air superiority and has long underinvested in ground forces.

Given this disparity, any significant Turkish deployment in Syria could pose a direct challenge to Israeli operations and raise the risk of confrontation.

While the recent Israeli airstrikes targeted mostly long-defunct Syrian military sites—many of which have been hit repeatedly over the years—the attacks signal a broader strategic shift.

In the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, the Israeli military has moved away from a defensive posture of deterrence and containment. In its place, the army has embraced a more aggressive doctrine built around preemptive action.

This shift was further underscored by the appointment of a new chief of staff from the Armored Corps—the first in three decades—signaling a renewed emphasis on ground operations and offensive initiatives.

Not Just a Message to Türkiye

Despite the messaging around Türkiye’s presence, analysts say the recent wave of Israeli military action also serves broader geopolitical aims.

After failing to persuade Washington to pressure Ankara to scale back its involvement in Syria, Israel now appears determined to assert its own red lines militarily. The airstrike on the Scientific Studies and Research Center in Damascus—a facility already destroyed multiple times since 2018—was widely viewed as symbolic.

Israeli officials say the intended audience for that particular strike was Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whom Israeli intelligence continues to refer to by his former nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. By launching the attack during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Israel aimed to send a clear message: there will be no return to normalcy in Syria without accounting for Israeli interests.

Among those interests is normalization. Last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his desire to see Syria and Lebanon join the Abraham Accords and establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel.

Hardline figures within Netanyahu’s coalition believe Israel currently holds a strategic upper hand. As right-wing think tank head Meir Ben-Shabbat recently wrote: “Israel is in its strongest position ever. It is transforming the Middle East, expanding its military capabilities, and pushing back the Iranian axis—while Syria is at its weakest.”

For many in Israel’s ruling right, this is an ideal moment to push for a peace agreement with Syria, possibly even one involving Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights.

The Real Audience: Domestic Israel

Still, perhaps the most significant message behind the military campaign is directed not at Ankara, Damascus, or even Tehran—but at Tel Aviv.

As protests against Netanyahu’s leadership have grown louder in recent months, military escalation has served as a convenient political shield. The wars in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon dominate public attention and have largely sidelined anti-government demonstrations.

“Netanyahu’s government must go, but we won’t take to the streets while our sons are fighting,” has become a common refrain among many Israelis who oppose his leadership but remain reluctant to protest during wartime.

By maintaining a state of conflict, Netanyahu is not only securing his coalition’s survival but also enabling his allies to advance a hardline agenda—particularly on the Palestinian issue—that would have faced greater resistance in peacetime.

Critics warn that this strategy, while politically expedient, comes at a steep cost to Israel’s democratic institutions, its judiciary, and the long-term stability of the region.