Netanyahu Vows Houthis to Pay 'Heavy Price' for Missile Attack; War Cabinet to Prioritize Northern Evacuees

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen will pay a "heavy price" after they fired a long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Sunday. Parts of the missile penetrated Israel's air defenses.

The warning came as Israel's Cabinet considers a wider war in the north to return citizens to their homes.

The Houthis released footage of the launch that covered more than 1,200 miles in less than 15 minutes. It caused minor damage in central Israel, but the Houthis' military spokesman sent a warning.

"The Israeli enemy should expect more strikes and upcoming special operations as we approach the first anniversary of the blessed October 7th operation," declared Houthi Military Spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree.

At Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised the Houthis will pay for the attack.

"They should have known by now that we exact a heavy price for any attempt to harm us," the prime minister stated.

Netanyahu recalled that Israel struck a key Yemeni port after it launched a drone in July that killed one person and wounded ten in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu also indicated that Israeli forces may be about to concentrate on the northern front in the seven-front war Iran and its proxies are waging against the Jewish nation.

He cautioned, "We are in a multi-front battle against Iran's axis of evil that strives to destroy us."

Netanyahu added, “The current situation will not continue. This requires a change in the balance of forces on our northern border. We will do whatever is necessary to return our residents securely to their homes.”

Israel's War Cabinet is making it an official goal to return some of the 60,000 Israelis forced out of their homes in the north after October 7th by the near-daily attacks carried out by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel Air Force jets are already striking Hezbollah targets to weaken the terror group before what may be a full-scale Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

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