Yemen’s Houthi Leader Warns Enemies Of Ground Battle
The leader of the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen warned his enemies on September 5 that his group would shock them on the ground as it did at sea.
Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip last October, the Houthis have attacked dozens of Israel-linked ships and others owned by allies of the country in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and even the Mediterranean Sea in support of the Palestinian enclave.
The group also launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. In addition, it shot down seven American-made drones over Yemen and nearby waters.
The United States and the United Kingdom have so far launched hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen in retaliation. Israel also attacked the Red Sea port of al-Hodieda, which is held by the group, last July in response to a deadly drone strike on the city of Tel Aviv. Nevertheless, the Houthis remain undeterred.
In his weekly speech, al-Houthi asserted that his group mobilized “on the basis of Jihad, for God’s sake, and in support of the Palestinian people”, in a frank, clear, and declared confrontation against Israel, the U.S. and UK.
He commended the Yemeni “brave and daring military operations, which pounded the enemy with all its capabilities and without any worries for a greater pursuit.”
The Yemeni leader also declared that the Houthis military operations are still ongoing, with each week having its own outcome of strikes.
“Since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, we were eager for our people to move in hundreds of thousands to engage directly in the ground battle,” al-Houthi said, adding that “the only challenge between us and direct confrontation with the occupation is the wide geography of Arab regimes conspiring with the Israeli enemy.”
“We hoped they would test us, or seek to get rid of us by opening the road to Gaza, but they did not, and they will never.”
The leader also expanded on the significant outcomes of the Houthis’ operations in the seas, reaching the Mediterranean, noting that the “enemies discuss the Red Sea battle with admittance of defeat and failure, because of their inability to protect Israeli ships.”
He affirmed that the Houthis continue to develop their capabilities, adding that they would “shock the enemy on the ground, as they did in the sea, using technologies unprecedented in history that would help in humiliating it.”
Al-Houthi assured that the Yemenis will spare no effort in doing all they can to champion Palestine, despite their constant feeling of “falling short”, saying “We will continue, and our response is on its way, with a constant path [of confrontation] God willing.”
Recent strikes on Yemen have clearly failed to deter the Houthis or even to degrade their military capabilities. Faced with this failure, Israel, the U.S. and UK could seek options to confront the group, including direct or indirect ground operations in Yemen. The latest warning by al-Houthi indicates that the group is already prepared for such an escalation.
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