NightOwl

The Houthis, a Zaidi Shi’a group, are allied with Iran and receive material and technical support from Iran. However, they are rooted in Yemen’s socio-cultural matrix. Unlike Hezbollah, Iran has less control over the Houthis’ decision making. Iran can and does limit the operational breadth of Hezbollah and its other proxies. In the case of the Houthis, the most senior leadership, among whom all decisions of consequence are made, is closed to all but the highest-ranking members of the organization.

It is possible that Iran had no foreknowledge of the Houthis’ decision to launch missiles toward Israel.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, called on the international community to cease funding the UN after Friday’s UN general assembly vote, which did not condemn Hamas.

“Every honest country should defund the UN. Until the bias stops and the antisemitism stops, we can no longer continue business as usual,” he told Fox News. Erdan said the recent resolution was “unfathomable”, saying it showed the UN had “completely lost its legitimacy and relevance”.

While Israel’s military and intelligence chiefs have owned up to their shortcomings leading up to the attack, Netanyahu has dodged responsibility, creating a growing rift between him and the departments.

Netanyahu has said that there will be time to ask tough questions, including of himself, after the war.

Netanyahu’s response has added to public concerns that he is prioritising his political interests over national security, as he battles a draw-out corruption trial that could threaten his power.

“[Netanyahu] is not interested in security, he is not interested in hostages, only politics,” said opposition lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman, once Netanyahu’s defence minister, in a radio interview.