Dubai, UAE: The Houthis, Yemen’s Ansar Allah rebel movement, have vowed a forceful response to the US-UK airstrikes launched earlier today, raising fears of further escalation in the already volatile region. Spokesman Yahya Saria declared the attacks “criminal aggression” that “will not go unanswered and unpunished.”
Saria warned of retaliatory strikes against both land and sea targets, stating, “The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to strike the sources of threat and all hostile targets in defense of Yemen, its sovereignty, and independence.” This escalation comes amidst heightened tensions in the Red Sea, fueled by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Houthi threats against Israeli shipping.
The US-UK airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in several Yemeni cities, including Sana’a, Saada, and Hodeidah. President Joe Biden justified the action as a response to “unprecedented Houthi attacks” on Red Sea shipping lanes, claiming the strikes aimed at Houthi military infrastructure were carried out in “self-defense.”
This escalation stems from the recent conflict in Gaza. The Houthis, aligning with the Palestinian cause, threatened Israeli targets and Red Sea shipping associated with Israel until the Gaza operation ceased. Additionally, CENTCOM estimates that the Houthis have attacked over 20 vessels and civilian ships in the Red Sea since mid-November.