Israel is facing a manageable threat from Houthi missile activity while keeping its focus on Iran's nuclear capabilities and broader regional risks, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon told Newsmax on Sunday.
"It is a threat, but it's not something that we cannot handle," Ayalon said on Newsmax's "Sunday Report," one day after the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile attack against Israel.
Ayalon said the Houthis, backed by Iran, have shown restraint compared to past conflicts.
"This time they have been more careful, I think, because we are much closer to them with our presence there, the American presence," he said.
He suggested recent limited missile launches may reflect pressure from Tehran as Iran's leadership faces mounting strain.
"With the desperation that we see of the ayatollahs in Tehran, they are really begging and putting all the pressure on the Houthis," Ayalon said.
Despite concerns about a broader regional conflict, Ayalon said Iran-backed proxy groups have been weakened.
"I'm not too much concerned about the proxies," he said. "The Houthis' capabilities were degraded from the last war with us. The Iranians are pretty much scraping the bottom. Hezbollah is scraping the bottom. Hamas, of course."
Iran's nuclear program and control of key waterways are the central issues, Ayalon pointed out.
"I am concerned about the 440 kilograms of enriched uranium," Ayalon said, adding that securing those materials and reopening the Strait of Hormuz should be top priorities.
He said intelligence assessments suggest the uranium is likely hidden underground.
"The best estimate of the intelligence is that it is buried in the ground, probably in three different sites," he said.
Ayalon said a negotiated agreement may be the most effective way to recover the material, particularly as Iran faces worsening internal conditions.
"In three weeks, Iran's economy can totally collapse," he said, citing warnings from within Iran's leadership.
He outlined conditions he believes would be necessary to end the conflict, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and dismantling Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
"They have to get rid of the enriched uranium and sign an agreement... not to develop any more enriched uranium and nuclear weapons," Ayalon said.
He also warned of the growing range of Iran's missile capabilities.
"If we do not stop them, they will have 10,000," he said, referring to potential missile range expansion.
Ayalon added that compliance with any agreement would ultimately be judged by actions on the ground.
"We will know when we agree with them, and we see that the orders trickle down, and then they stop the launching of missiles," he said.
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