Potential retaliation: Israel's defense questioned after Houthi attack

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israel has heightened its state of emergency and readiness in Eilat, Tel Aviv, and Haifa in anticipation of potential retaliatory strikes by the Houthis following Israel's attack on Hodeida. 

The initial attempt to respond by targeting Eilat on Sunday morning is considered by Israeli officials to be the beginning of a series of potential Houthi attacks on strategic Israeli targets.

Security agencies have continued their meetings to assess the security situation amid sirens sounding in the south and north. Instructions have been issued to elevate the emergency level to its peak in Haifa, fearing an attack on its bay and port.

While political, security, and military leaders boast of Israel's swift and severe response, especially with reports that ships in Hodeida's port are used to transport Iranian weapons to the Houthis, voices warning of Israel's defensive vulnerabilities against missiles and drones have grown louder.

The Israeli Air Force has announced its continued readiness and preparations for further strikes against the Houthis in Yemen should their attacks on Israel intensify.

Meanwhile, Israel is deploying a significant number of defense systems across various regions and is preparing additional Arrow 3 systems, which intercepted the Houthi missile aimed at Eilat on Sunday morning.

The cost of each interceptor missile launched by Israel to counter drones or long-range missiles ranges between $100,000 and $150,000, while the damages to Eilat's port due to the Houthi attacks have exceeded $15 million.

On the northern front with Lebanon, where sirens have been heard in dozens of settlements and cities near the border and in Galilee, Israel continues to face a significant shortage of defense systems, escalating protests, and threats from residents and officials.