US to Israel: Don't strike Houthis in Yemen, 'leave it to us'

The US has asked Israel not to strike Houthi targets in Yemen, a source told the Jerusalem Post. "Leave it to us" was the US request. Israeli officials are holding discussions on whether to respond to the recent missiles launched from Yemen, but the assumption is that, at this point, Israel will accept the US request. 

Two missiles were sent from Yemen to Israel on Thursday, marking the first time in two months the Houthis had targeted the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas. Both, however, were intercepted by Israel's air defense systems, and did not land in Israeli territory. Earlier in the day, the US struck Houthi targets in Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. 

Sources told Ynet that the US requested that Israel refrain from airstrikes like those carried out in the past by the IAF on Houthi targets in Yemen. The sources added that while the IAF strikes were carried out successfully in the past, the US believes it has greater capacity to conduct sustained attacks using aircraft stationed on its aircraft carriers.  (Read More)