Yemen’s Shiite rebel leader, Abdel Malik al-Houthi, threatened on Thursday that there would be retaliation for any US attack on his forces, speaking of operations on a scale “even larger” than the attack his movement claimed responsibility for. yesterday wednesday

Shortly after the Israel/Hamas war broke out in the Gaza Strip on October 7, the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen and are backed by Iran, like Hamas, said they would target in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, ships passing through the Red Sea if they have any “relationship” with Israel, slowing the movement of ships.

Israel’s main ally, the US, responded by announcing in December the creation of a naval coalition tasked with protecting international shipping from Houthi attacks in this strategically important maritime area, through which about 12% of world trade passes.

“Any American attack will not go unpunished. And (the retaliation) will not be of the order of the recent operation, with 24 drones and missiles, but much greater,” warned Abdel Malik al-Houthi during a speech broadcast by Al-Masira TV station.

American and British forces in the region on Tuesday destroyed 18 drones and three missiles fired by the Houthis. This attack was described as unprecedented.

The rebels, considered to be close to Iran, claimed responsibility for the operation, saying it was in retaliation for a December 31 US attack.

That day, responding to a request for assistance from a merchant ship, US helicopters sank three rebel vessels, killing ten of their crews.

“The Europeans, the Chinese and the whole world” can cross the Red Sea “without any problems,” said Abdel Malik al-Houthi.

But “those who want to get involved (…) and target the (Houthi) naval forces will really put their fleet and their merchant ships at risk,” he added, accusing the US of seeking to “seduce others ».

He added that he hopes that “the rest of the Arab and Muslim countries will never get involved on the side of the Americans, the Israelis and the British.”

The day before Wednesday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution, the text of which was drawn up by the US and Japan, demanding an “immediate” end to Houthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea.

Late last night British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak convened an emergency cabinet to discuss a possible joint US and British operation against the Houthis and briefed the chief opposition officer, according to reports in the British press.