Yemen Houthis: US-led coalition in Red Sea won’t stop our support for Gaza

The coalition formed by the United States in the Red Sea “will not stop” Yemen’s Houthi’s attacks on Israel-bound commercial ships, the group said.

“Yemen’s naval operations aim to support the Palestinian people in confronting the aggression and siege on Gaza, and are not a show of force or a challenge to anyone, and whoever seeks to expand the conflict must bear the consequences of his actions,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam posted on X on Monday.

He added that the American-formed coalition aims to protect Israel and militarise the sea without any justification, and will not stop Yemen from continuing its legitimate operations in support of Gaza.

“America has also allowed itself to support Israel by forming a coalition and without a coalition. The peoples of the region have full legitimacy to support the Palestinian people, and Yemen has taken it upon itself to stand by the Palestinian right and the great injustice of Gaza,” he added.

On Monday, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin announced the formation of a multinational force with the aim of deterring the Houthi group’s attacks in the Red Sea and its “threat to maritime trade”.

“The mission will include forces from ten countries, namely the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, and Bahrain, in addition to the United States,” he explained, noting that some countries preferred not to be named.

The Houthis have been targeting ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or which are transporting goods to and from Israel as they pass through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait “in solidarity with the Gaza Strip”, which has been subjected to continuous Israeli aggression since 7 October.

As a result, shipping companies have announced that they will be avoiding the waterway and redirecting their vessels.

READ: Companies rush to avert disruption from Red Sea attacks