Additional details about Operation “Long Arm” in Yemen:
1. Dozens of veteran pilots, reservists, squadron commanders, and colonels led formations with numerous aircraft in the furthest strike and a historic Air Force operation.
2. Netanyahu and Gallant approved the operation on Friday morning. On Saturday at 14:30, a formal cabinet meeting was held for approval, and around 15:00, the takeoffs began.
3. The political echelon insisted on an Israeli strike and not a joint operation with the U.S., which was informed. This daylight demonstration showcased Israeli offensive power against Iran, emphasizing the ability to strike east of Tehran, not just as a threat.
4. According to a security source, 10 targets were attacked around the Al Hudaydah port, not just oil depots. The aircraft flew low and noisy over Yemeni soil, not just attacking from a distance.
5. Israel anticipated that the flames in Yemen would burn for days, and appropriate munitions were chosen for this purpose.
6. The targets (with more identified) were chosen in the early months of the war in case one of the 220 launches from Yemen penetrated Israel and was lethal.
7. Just two months ago, the Air Force trained on refueling missions over Greece, which was not by chance.
8. In this exercise, as today, the large Ram aircraft (Boeing 707) proved their worth despite being 60 years old. The greater danger was during the outbound flight, so the stealth F-35s played a central role in clearing the long path.
9. The Al Hudaydah port serves as the main supply artery of Houthi weaponry from Iran
10. What’s next? This is not the end. The Israeli defense establishment estimates that the Houthis will continue to launch attacks on Israel, and this is probably not the last round with the distant and impoverished country that lost millions of riyals today, but they will likely rethink their strategy….
