Houthis threaten retaliation after US strikes on Yemen
Photo: The Houthis vow even greater escalation (Getty Images)
Yesterday, the US began carrying out large-scale strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen after their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The group, in turn, has vowed to take revenge, informs NBC News.
US President Donald Trump ordered large-scale military strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. This came after a series of attacks by the group on ships in the Red Sea.
According to the Houthi Ministry of Health, at least 31 people were killed, and 101 were injured as a result of the US airstrikes. A rebel spokesman told NBC News that the group would respond with an even “more escalation.”
“We will respond to the recent escalation with further escalation. Our response will not be delayed,” said Nasr el-Din Amer, a spokesperson for the Houthis.
NBC also notes that the US attack came just days after the Houthis announced they would resume attacks on Israeli ships departing from Yemen. This was in response to Israel's recent blockade of Gaza, which halted the flow of aid into the enclave.
Trump, while giving the order for the strikes, warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel groups in retaliation. He promised to hold the country “fully accountable” for the actions of its proxy group, the Houthis. Tehran has been supporting the Houthis with money, training, and equipment.
As a reminder, in a statement to Iranian state media, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, said that Iran would “respond decisively and destructively” to any enemy that carries out its threats.
However, Salami also distanced Iran from the Houthis, stressing that the group makes its decisions independently. He stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran did not play any role in shaping the national or operational policy of any resistance front group.
