The story: Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, better known as the Houthis, has announced the start of “phase five” in operations against Israel—indicating an imminent expansion of attacks. The move follows Tel Aviv’s claim of responsibility for airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The Israeli assault came shortly after an unprecedented Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv which killed at least one person.

Observers view the Israeli action in Yemen as likely to empower the Houthis domestically while allowing the group to play up its emerging image in the Arab street as a defender of the Palestinian cause. The current trajectory is...