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Deadly Tel Aviv attack was a ‘grave miscalculation,’ admits ex-Houthi official

Former senior Houthi leader laments drone attack that killed one in Tel Aviv, saying move was a ‘grave miscalculation’ that could harm Yemenites.

By World Israel News Staff

A former senior official from the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen castigated the recent attack by Houthi terrorists on Tel Aviv, saying the movement should not get directly involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Speaking with Israel Hayom on condition of anonymity, a former high-ranking Houthi official lamented the suicide drone attack in central Tel Aviv early Friday morning that killed one and left 10 more injured, calling the bombing a “grave miscalculation” by Houthi leaders.

The former Houthi official said that while the movement sympathizes with the Palestinian cause, it has no reason to insert itself into the Israel-Palestinian conflict, suggesting that the group should limit its involvement to financial support for Palestinian Arabs.

“The Houthis are exploiting tens of millions of Yemenis as human shields when they fire rockets and kill Israeli civilians. This action will lead to the port’s bankruptcy,” the official said, referring to Israel’s response to the Tel Aviv attack, in which IDF forces struck Houthi positions in the Al-Hodeidah port.

“The core conflict is between Israel and the Palestinians; we have no direct dispute with Israel,” the official said.

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In a direct critique of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the former senior official said that most of the group’s attacks on Israel were symbolic in nature, yet increased the risks of Israeli retaliatory action that could hurt Yemenite civilians.

“Abdul-Malik al-Houthi launches these rockets despite being unable to down even a single Israeli aircraft.”

On Saturday, Israel’s air force struck a gas and oil depot and a power station used for military purposes at the Red Sea port of Al-Hodeidah.

The Houthis control the port, which is a significant supply route through which it receives weapons from Iran.