Following public burials in the capital Sanaa, the Houthi rebel organization in Yemen has announced through its official media that seventeen of its warriors had lost their lives as a result of US and British bombings. A Houthi official media outlet claimed on Saturday, naming the names of the deceased, “the bodies of a number of martyrs of the nation and the armed and security forces who were martyred as a result of the bombing of the American-British aggression were carried through Sanaa today in a solemn funeral procession.”
Escalating Tensions in Yemen
In an effort to persuade the Houthis to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea, the US and the UK have been striking their targets in Yemen since mid-January. Responding to the battle in Gaza, the Iran-backed rebels, who hold much of the war-torn country of Yemen under their control, including the port of Hodeidah, have begun hitting what they claim are Israeli-affiliated vessels. As Houthi forces readied themselves to fire missiles on US warships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the US claimed that its military had carried out multiple strikes against missile launchers.
For the funerals of the Houthis slain in the attacks on Saturday, a sizable contingent of supporters gathered at the Al-Shaab mosque in Sanaa, which was originally known as the Al-Saleh mosque. Abu Moataz Ghalib, one of the mourners, told the agency that he and the other people in attendance were unwavering in their support of the Gaza War. He continued, “We convey our message through these martyrs that we cannot, under any circumstances, give up our position, which is founded on principles and faith and which has compelled us to take action.”
Yemen’s Complex Civil War
The US and the UK reportedly struck targets in the province of Hodeidah, according to the Houthis’ press agency. The Houthis claimed on Tuesday that they had launched two strikes in the Red Sea against US and British ships, resulting in very minimal damage and no injuries. The assaults in the Red Sea have increased insurance costs for shipping businesses, making many of them steer clear of the crucial waterway that typically handles 12 percent of the world’s marine traffic. According to the US Embassy’s account, Steve Fagin, the US ambassador to Yemen, unless the Houthis stop attacking ships in the Red Sea by the end of next week, the US would designate them as terrorists. The Houthis were given 30 days’ notice to stop their attacks before the US took this action, which was disclosed in January.
US Strikes Targeting Houthis
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan declared in a statement at the time that “the United States announced the designation of Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in response to these continuing threats and attacks.” The Houthis have claimed responsibility for two recent attacks, one on an American ship and the other on a British vessel.
They claim that Israel’s war on Gaza is the driving force for their campaign. Despite many airstrikes by the United States and its allies while the group was patrolling the Red Sea, the armed group associated with Iran has declared its intention to carry out the assaults. In the Middle East, latent tensions are being heightened by the current campaign.
Additionally, because the Red Sea is a significant container ship route, it is causing disruptions to global trade. Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthi group, verified the assaults on the two ships and reiterated their vow to conduct more “self-defense” actions against “hostile” American and British sites. The US military announced that it had successfully attacked two explosive Houthi naval drones on Monday, claiming that they posed an immediate threat to commerce and navy ships. The Yemeni organization has now been labeled as “global terrorists” by the US administration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Since November 19, the Houthis have attacked US and UK military warships as well as commercial ships connected to Israel with scores of missile, drone, and boat assaults. Global shipping companies have been forced to reroute along longer, more costly routes across Southern Africa and cease transits through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden due to the campaign’s severe disruptions. In reaction, the US and the UK started attacking Houthi targets in Yemen last month. Until the closure is removed and the violence against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip ceases, operations against Israeli shipping or those traveling to the ports of occupied Palestine will continue.
