In recent days, the United States has resumed its airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The terrorist organization has already reported dozens of casualties, including several officers.
A Legitimate Target for Attack?
Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, a legal expert and researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, highlighted a crucial question this morning (Thursday): “Is a civilian who conceals his role as a terrorist a legitimate target for attack?”
According to Hirsch, the latest US strikes on Houthi leaders in Yemen not only weaken the organization but also reinforce Israel’s legal position in its fight against terrorism.
“Legitimate Targets Even When Asleep”
Hirsch further explained that in its attacks on Yemen, the US applied the same approach as Israel. “The Houthis are terrorists, no different from their Hamas counterparts within the Iranian terror axis. As such, their members and leadership are legitimate targets even when they are asleep in their beds.”
When the US struck Houthi leaders in their homes, it not only targeted terrorists but also, “perhaps unintentionally,” Hirsch suggested, “provided significant support for Israel’s approach toward Hamas terrorists in Gaza.”
“A Far Broader Legal Security Blanket”
“The significance of this support cannot be overstated,” Hirsch emphasized. If hostile entities such as the UN and the International Criminal Court were to rule that Israel’s military actions are illegitimate, “they would, in effect, also be condemning the similar American approach,” he stated.
Hirsch concluded that “since singling out Israel, or even prosecuting senior Israeli officials for acting according to the laws of war accepted by Western nations, would constitute discrimination, the latest US attack not only helps defend Israel against direct Houthi aggression backed by Iran but also provides Israel with a much broader legal security blanket.”
