Political Council Member: Maritime Navigation Secure, Those Who Attack Yemen, Their Ships Will Be Target for It

Member of the Supreme Political Council Mohammed Ali al-Houthi stressed that maritime navigation generally remains safe, except in the event of an attack on Yemen. In such cases, Yemen reserves the right to consider the attacker’s ships as legitimate targets.

Al-Houthi clarified that Yemen’s primary objective is to halt the aggression against Gaza while accusing the US of attempting to escalate the conflict.

He accused the US of posing a threat to maritime navigation by forming an alleged coalition against Yemen’s support for Gaza, aiming to militarize the Red Sea.

Al-Houthi reiterated Yemen’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people and developments in the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

“We hold our own decisions, and the Americans and Israelis know that. If they have other matters and want to discuss with Iran, that’s their affair. Iran is an independent country capable of responding,” he said.

“We can carry out attacks as needed to stop the aggression on Gaza. I doubt you have a significant number of missiles inside ships and warships in the Red Sea,” he added.

Moreover, he affirmed that ships or warships targeting the Yemeni people would become targets for Yemen’s missiles.

Al-Houthi highlighted the priority of ending the aggression and lifting the siege on Gaza to prevent further conflict expansion. He suggested that if the United States truly desires peace, it should actively work towards achieving it.

The Yemeni Armed Forces revealed on Sunday that US forces attacked three vessels owned by the Yemeni Navy while they were fulfilling their humanitarian and ethical duties.

Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, confirmed in a military statement the martyrdom of 10 members of the Yemeni Navy due to the American aggression.

Sare’e stressed that the US would face the consequences and aftermath of this crime. He further mentioned that the American military presence in the Red Sea aimed at shielding Israeli ships would not deter Yemen from fulfilling its religious, moral, and humanitarian obligations in supporting Palestine and Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces urged other nations to avoid engaging in perilous behavior aligned with American actions, warning of negative repercussions that could impact everyone.

Since the Israeli regime’s relentless military campaign against Gaza commenced in early October, the Yemenis have openly declared their support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation.

In recent actions, the Armed Forces have conducted attacks on ships suspected of ties to Israel near Yemeni ports. On November 19, they intercepted and seized a vessel believed to be associated with the Tel Aviv regime.

Consequently, certain shipping companies with vested interests in occupied Palestine redirected their vessels, opting for longer routes around Africa to evade Yemeni attacks.

The ongoing siege has inflicted heavy casualties on Palestinians in Gaza, who have been enduring the war since October 7.