People listen to Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi as he speaks via video conference, in Sana'a, Yemen on March 17, 2023 [Mohammed Hamoud - Anadolu Agency]
People listen to Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi as he speaks via video conference, in Sana’a, Yemen on March 17, 2023 [Mohammed Hamoud – Anadolu Agency]
Leader of the Yemeni Houthi rebel group Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi announced on Friday that his group, backed by Iran, will resume its attacks in the Red Sea if Israel does not allow aid into the Gaza Strip within four days.
The leader of Ansar Allah asserted in a speech broadcast by Houthi-affiliated news outlet Al-Masirah: “We will give a deadline of four days. This deadline is for the mediators for their efforts.”
He added: “If the Israeli enemy after four days continues to prevent the humanitarian aid into Gaza and continues to completely close the crossings, we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy. We will match their blockade with a blockade.”
Following disagreements over the next stages of the truce agreement that put an end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the occupation forces announced the suspension of the entry of aid into the Strip.
The move was widely condemned due to its negative repercussions on the 2.4 million residents of the Strip, who already face catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
Before the ceasefire in Gaza and following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on the occupation state on 7 October, 2023, the Houthis launched dozens of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The group used missiles and sea and air drones launched from areas under their control in Yemen, which they said were in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthi threat comes days after the US classified the Yemeni group as a foreign terrorist organisation once again and imposed sanctions on seven of its senior leaders.
READ: Yemen Houthis say ready to resume operations to confront Israeli violations in Gaza