Senior Israeli defense officials tasked IDF intelligence in July to focus on targeting the Houthis in Yemen, specifically the terror group's leadership in Sanaa, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, the shift in strategy came amid the new stage of combat in Gaza and Israel's debate on whether to pursue a hostage-ceasefire deal or expand the war.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, and the head of the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder tasked the IDF with researching and targeting Houthi leaders, following ongoing missile and drone attacks from Yemen.
KAN reported that approximately 200 soldiers and officers from various IDF intelligence branches, including Units 8200, 9900, and 504, gathered in a classified bunker in central Israel and began collecting intelligence on the Houthis and their leaders.
Additionally, representatives from US Central Command (CENTCOM) participated.
The IDF learned that senior members of the Houthi government were preparing to hold a high-level security discussion. Lt.-Col. A, from the IDF's Research Division, immediately called Brig-Gen. M, head of the Operations Division in Military Intelligence, reported that the meeting in Sanaa was set to take place and that crucial senior government and military leaders were expected to attend, KAN reported.
IDF officers debate exact Houthi meeting point in Sanaa, narrow down options
During discussions, IDF intelligence officers debated the exact meeting point in Sanaa, and over time, narrowed down several possibilities. Once the location was confirmed and after receiving approval from the IDF chief of staff and the political echelon, Israeli air force fighter jets set out to strike the Houthi leaders in Sanaa, KAN added.
KAN cited Israeli security officials as saying that the Houthis' decision to meet at a large private home in a residential neighborhood rather than an official government residence indicated that they attempted to hide the gathering and keep it discreet.
Officials also told KAN that Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi was a prime target for assassination both for Israel and across Western intelligence communities.
Previously, al-Houthi remained underground and delivered pre-recorded speeches.