News
By Ronny Reyes
Published
Jan. 30, 2024, 5:31 p.m. ET
Yemen’s Houthi rebels issued a warning on Tuesday, stating that they are prepared for a “long-term confrontation” with the US and its allies in the Red Sea.
Muhammad al-Attifi, the military commander of the rebels, asserted that his group and Yemen stand united against America and Britain following the allies’ retaliatory airstrikes against the militants disrupting trade and travel routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“We are ready for a long-term confrontation with the forces of tyranny,” al-Attifi said in a statement regarding the attacks led by Western powers. “The Americans, the British, and their collaborators must acknowledge the strength of Yemen’s sovereign decision, which is not up for debate or dispute.”
This declaration comes just a day after thousands of members and supporters of the group gathered in Yemen’s capital to hold a parade celebrating the recent attacks against US and British vessels.
The Houthi militants targeted a British tanker on Saturday, causing the ship to catch fire. ZUMAPRESS.com
Houthi members and supporters have repeatedly assembled in Yemen’s capital to celebrate the group’s attacks in the Red Sea. AP
The rebels have carried out these attacks in protest of the Western allies’ support for Israel in its conflict with Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.
While US and UK officials mentioned that most of the Yemen militants’ almost daily attacks miss their intended targets, a Houthi missile did hit a British-linked tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, as confirmed by US Central Command.
The Marlin Luanda, which was transporting a highly flammable chemical used to dilute crude oil, caught fire during the assault, prompting US, French, and Indian naval ships to offer assistance to the British tanker.
UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps stated that his nation would not tolerate the attacks and reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to combat the Houthi rebels alongside the US.
“This intolerable and unlawful attack on maritime shipping is the latest on innocent people and global trade,” Shapps expressed in a statement. “It is our duty to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, and we remain as dedicated to that cause as ever.”
The British tanker the Marlin Luanda was carrying highly flammable chemicals when it was hit by a Houthi missile on Saturday. via REUTERS
After the attack on the British tanker, the Houthis also claimed, without offering any evidence, that they had targeted a US Navy vessel, the USS Lewis B. Puller, in the Gulf of Aden on Monday.
American officials refuted the claim, stating that no such attack had been reported by the mobile base.
The US and Britain have conducted several retaliatory strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, destroying numerous command posts, weapons depots, and training facilities.
Houthi members and supporters brandished their weapons during Monday’s parade in Sanaa. YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The strikes are aimed at degrading the group’s military capabilities in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the Iran-backed militants vowed to continue targeting shipping vessels unless Israel’s conflict with Gaza comes to an end.
Israel declared war on Hamas terrorists in Gaza following a massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people, predominantly civilians.
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi previously declared in a televised statement that the group welcomes an all-out war against the US and its allies.
“We praise God for this great blessing and great honor — for us to be in a direct confrontation with Israel and America,” he stated.
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