Yemen's Houthi leader vows to continue attacks against Israel unless strikes on Gaza stops

Sanaa, Jan 17 Yemen's Houthi group's leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, said that his group would continue launching attacks against Israel if strikes continue on Gaza.

"Our military operations will continue in support of the Palestinian people if the Israeli enemy continues its genocidal massacres and escalation before implementing the ceasefire agreement," al-Houthi said in the televised speech aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite TV channel.

"We will keep an open eye on the stages of implementing the ceasefire agreement (in Gaza), and if Israel makes any breach or massacre at any phase of implementing the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, we will be ready immediately for conducting a military support for the Palestinian people," the Houthi leader said.

"The United States is working to end Hamas's role in the future, but it will fail," he said.

The Houthi leader also said that his group has launched "1255 attacks" against Israeli cities, Israeli-linked ships, and US warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023, nearly three weeks after the Israel-Hamas war broke out, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also vowed that his group "will be ready" for any major war with Israel and the US shortly.

After nearly 15 months of war in Gaza, Israel and Hamas finally reached a ceasefire agreement set to take effect on Sunday.

The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since late 2014 after the armed group forced the internationally recognised Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have been carrying out rocket and drone attacks on Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians amid their ongoing conflict with Israelis.

In response, Israel has launched rounds of airstrikes on Houthi targets. In addition, the US-led naval coalition stationed in the area has been conducting regular air raids and strikes on Houthi sites since January 2024 in a joint bid to deter the armed group, prompting the Houthis to expand attacks to include US warships.

Source: IANS