Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has articulated a stark doctrine of pre-emption, vowing that Israel will not only retaliate against attackers but will also strike those who “plan to attack us.” This policy was underscored by a major Israeli air raid on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The strikes on Sanaa, which followed a Houthi missile attack involving a cluster bomb, were presented as both a punishment and a preventative measure. By hitting a military compound, fuel depot, and power stations, Israel aimed to disrupt future Houthi operations before they could be launched.
Netanyahu’s statement signals a highly aggressive security posture, shifting from a reactive model to one of proactive defense. “Whoever attacks us, we will attack him. Whoever plans to attack us, we attack him,” he stated, leaving no room for ambiguity.
This doctrine raises the stakes in the region, as it could be used to justify strikes based on intelligence about potential threats, not just actual attacks. The raid on Yemen, which killed six and wounded 86, serves as the first major application of this forward-leaning policy against the Houthis.
