The devastating Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa and the preceding Houthi cluster bomb attack may represent a point of no return for the two adversaries, setting them on an seemingly unavoidable collision course. The cycle of escalation has now reached a intensity that will be difficult to reverse.
Each side has now crossed significant red lines. The Houthis escalated by using a more dangerous and indiscriminate type of warhead. Israel retaliated by launching a massive, direct bombardment on the Houthi capital, killing and wounding dozens and hitting the seat of government.
The rhetoric from both sides suggests a hardening of positions. Prime Minister Netanyahu has vowed to pre-emptively attack those who even “plan” aggression, while the Houthis are unlikely to cease their campaign, which they see as a religious and political duty.
With dialogue non-existent and the military options escalating, a prolonged and increasingly violent confrontation seems inevitable. The strikes on Sanaa may be remembered not as an end to a chapter, but as the beginning of a full-blown, direct war, marking a new and dangerous point of no return.