Netanyahu in TV interview: Israel is ‘just getting started’ with the Houthis

In a wide-ranging sit-down interview with the right-wing Channel 14 network, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel is only getting started in its strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

“We’re just getting started with them,” he says. “We won’t allow them [to attack Israel] these days, today and any other day. We will strike them to the bitter end until they learn. As I said, Hamas learned, Hezbollah learned, and Syria learned. The Houthis will learn too.”

Netanyahu also discusses ongoing efforts to secure a hostage deal, blasting off-the-record comments from unnamed officials claiming that such a deal could have already been reached as “lies” that serve only to “strengthen Hamas. To back up their false allegations,” he says, blaming sources in the negotiating team.

The prime minister also says he is still “working toward” reaching a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia: “This goal hasn’t gone away, it’s still here,” he says, claiming that if he had remained in power following the 2021 Israeli election, it would have already happened.