"Army of Terror"... Former British General: The Houthis have become a major threat and it is time to deal with them more forcefully

The Sun newspaper reported that former British Army Colonel Richard Kemp said that dealing with the Houthis should now be a "top priority" for the West, warning that the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels now pose a "major" threat.

Colonel Richard Kemp, 65, told The Sun that the Houthis in Yemen had been “largely unscathed” by Israel’s war on seven fronts – and still had “significant capabilities”.

While Israel has ruthlessly eliminated Hezbollah's chain of command and assassinated Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, it is time to deal with the Houthis in Yemen, he added, noting that "the Houthis have not suffered significant damage so far. We need to be wary of a potential terrorist threat greater than what we see from them now."

While Israel has continued its war against Hamas in Gaza, the Houthi rebels have sought to aid their Iranian friend by terrorizing shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Just this month, the Iranian-backed militia launched an explosives-laden drone boat at a British oil tanker.

“The Houthis have significant capabilities,” said Colonel Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan. “I think it should be a top priority for Western countries to try to deal with the Houthis. There have been strikes against them, but they have been largely symbolic.”

"I think the time will soon come when they will have to be dealt with more forcefully," he continued, noting that the "sophistication" of the Houthi offensive that has been underway for a year "has been made possible by Iranian armament, financing and sponsorship."

Colonel Kemp said that while Iran has “much greater control” over Hezbollah, it still controls the Houthis in terms of funding and weapons. The rebels have become less of a focus for Israel and the West over the past year.

"I think this is an area that we need to be paying attention to in the future, because it poses a greater terrorist threat than we see now," he added, noting that "there are a range of options for Iran to consider as it tries to figure out how to repair the damage that has already been done."

One option, Colonel Kemp said, is for Iran to “stick with” another terrorist group — such as al-Qaeda or the Islamic State — “to give them greater capabilities.”

"We can be sure of one thing - these terrorist organizations will continue to pose a threat, not only in the Middle East, but also throughout the world," he warned.