Houthi leader says US, Israel ordered UAE to escalate in Yemen

The leader of Yemen’s Houthis, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, said yesterday that the United States, Britain and Israel ordered the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to escalate the situation in Yemen.

“The UAE is a major tool in the hands of the Americans, and it has failed and was harmed by its aggression,” Al- Houthi said, adding “Whoever stood by America, Britain and Israel in their oppression and aggression is doomed to fail.”

“Our people are victorious in every sense of the word because of their sacrifices,” he said, adding: “We will not know defeat as long as our people are steadfast in their position, and victory will be their ally.”

Al-Houthi stressed that the group’s steadfastness in confronting the aggression is part of its commitment at all levels, calling on the Yemeni people to have more patience and faith in victory over all the crimes committed by the enemies.

Earlier this week, the Al-Mayadeen TV channel reported an informed Yemeni source as saying that the UAE has ordered its forces in Shabwa to reposition themselves and withdraw their military brigades, in a sign of “retreat that implies a clear defeat,” which comes “after Abu Dhabi’s failure and incurring great losses in front of the Yemeni forces.”

On Monday, the United Arab Emirates said it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi as the UAE hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog on his first visit to the Gulf country.

READ: US to deploy warship, fighter jets to protect UAE from Houthis