Tens of thousands of people gathered in Yemeni cities today to hear their leaders condemn US-British strikes on their country in response to Houthi rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

The US and Britain launched dozens of airstrikes against Houthi military targets overnightwidening the regional conflict started by Israel’s war on Gaza.

“Your strikes against Yemen are terroristic,” said Mr Mohammed Ali Al-Houthia member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, addressing the US. “The US is the devil.”

After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7thwhich triggered Israel’s attack on Gaza, Iran’s Houthi allies began attacking ships and launching drones and missiles at Israel, saying they would not stop until Israeli operations against the Palestinian enclave ended.

The Houthis say so will target all ships heading to Israel and warned international shipping companies not to use Israeli ports.

“We did not attack its shores America we neither intervened in American islands nor attacked them. Your attacks on our country constitute terrorism”Al-Houthi said.

“They are terrorists and it’s unbelievable how they lie to citizens all over the world, but the perception of the Yemeni people is a different perception. Do you, the citizens of Yemen, believe that America is defending itself or practicing terrorism?’

The Iraqi paramilitary organization Harakat al-Nujabaalso an ally of Iran, he warned that American interests and the countries that support the US will not be safe from now on. In Sana’a, protesters trampled Israeli and US flags.