The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists of Yemen said on Monday that American and British airstrikes will not deter them from attacking civilian ships in the Red Sea. Instead, they vowed to “end U.S. hegemony forever” with retaliatory action.
“The acts of aggression by the U.S. and UK will not go unanswered, and we will make them serve as a lesson for the entire world,” Houthi Information Ministry adviser Tawfiq al-Hamiri told Russia’s Sputnik News.
“We are preparing for a response that will end the U.S. hegemony forever,” he promised.
The Supreme Political Council of the Houthi regime announced that “all American-British interests have become legitimate targets” after the U.S. and UK bombed dozens of targets in Yemen late last week.
“Attacks to stop Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of the occupied Palestine will continue,” Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam insisted on Monday.
The U.S.-British strikes were intended to neutralize the terrorist threat posed by the Houthis to international shipping with constant missile launches, drone attacks, and hijacking attempts over the past three months.
This handout screen grab captured from a video shows Yemen’s Houthi fighters’ takeover of the Galaxy Leader Cargo in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, on November 20, 2023 in the Red Sea, Yemen.(Houthi Movement via Getty Images)
The Houthis claim these actions, which they have no international legal authority to implement, were intended to support the Palestinians of Gaza by forcing Israel to halt its operations against the Hamas terrorist organization. The Houthis have not restricted their attacks to Israeli-registered ships or vessels heading to Israel, contradicting their rhetoric.
The shipping lanes the Houthis menaced are among the busiest in the world. Rerouting vessels around the Red Sea has caused global shipping prices to skyrocket, created dangerous delays in supply chains, and sharply reduced revenue for Egypt’s Suez Canal.
On Monday, Qatar’s national energy company announced it suspended shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Red Sea due to the deteriorating security situation. QatarEnergy is the second largest exporter of LNG in the world, with many customers in Europe, so continuing disruptions could pose serious problems – although Bloomberg News noted that Europe is currently “well stocked” and industrial demand is currently “subdued.”
Houthis Claim Global Shipping ‘Is Safe,’ then Vow to Continue Red Sea Attacks https://t.co/PwSczxQwRn
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 12, 2024
“The Houthis haven’t attacked any vessels carrying gas since they started harrying ships in mid-November, but Qatar’s reluctance to transit the passage highlights the sharp increase in risks following the U.S.-led strikes,” Bloomberg said.
Reuters cited tracking data that said at least 15 oil tankers have changed course to avoid the Red Sea since last week’s U.S.-British strikes.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday that the Houthis launched an “anti-ship ballistic missile” that struck the MV Gibraltar Eagle, a container ship flagged in the Marshall Islands and owned by a U.S. company.
The missile caused a small fire in the ship’s hold, but no injuries or major damage were reported, and the ship was able to continue on its way.
