Houthi Ansar Allah's Supreme Political Council Chairman: 'No American Escalation Will Divert Us From Our Principled Positions Regarding Palestine; Every Step That Harms The Interests Of Our People Will Be Considered A Declaration Of War'

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On November 29, 2023, Houthi Ansar Allah movement Supreme Political Council Chairman Mahdi Al-Mashat warned the U.S. against taking any "hostile step" against the Yemeni people and asserted that "any step that harms the interests of our people will be considered a declaration of war." At the same time, the pro-Hizbullah Lebanese Al-Akhbar daily reported that according to "sources in Sanaa" it "is conceivable" that American ships will be included in the Houthi threat to Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, "… if the U.S. tries to carry out any kind of attack."

 These warnings were issued following the November 27, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) statements about the launching of ballistic missiles from areas under Houthi control toward the USS MASON (DDG 87) destroyer and also about the movements of the Carrier Strike Group Eisenhower (IKECSG) in the area.[1] In addition to these statements, Arab media reported irregular military movements on the part of the U.S. and its allies in the Red Sea, near the waters that are controlled by the Houthis.[2]

The following is a review of the reports:

On November 29, 2023, Houthi Ansar Allah movement Supreme Political Council Chairman Mahdi Al-Mashat, who is also the commander of the Houthi armed forces, delivered a speech on the occasion of the 56^th Independence Day of Yemen. In his speech, Al-Mashat warned the U.S. against taking any "hostile step" against the Yemeni people, and asserted that "no American escalation will divert us from our principled stands regarding Palestine. Any step that harms the interests of our people will be considered a declaration of war and we will relate to it accordingly."

Addressing the "coalition of aggression" (i.e. the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen), Al-Mashat called for taking "trust-building steps, especially in the economic and humanitarian spheres," and for starting to deal with the issues of prisoner exchanges and arrangements for the restrictions imposed on operations at sea ports and airports in Yemen. He called for the preceding in addition to arranging "the withdrawal from our lands and our [territorial] waters."

Regarding the Palestinian issue, Al-Mashat welcomed the "courageous actions of the Palestinian resistance" and stressed "the leading stance of our country which assists the members of our dear people in Gaza. This is in accordance with our religious, and elementary humanitarian obligations." He reiterated that Yemen will adhere to this position until the cessation of "the aggression" against Gaza.[3]

Houthi Ansar Allah movement Supreme Political Council Chairman Mahdi Al-Mashat (Source: Ansarollah, November 29, 2023)

In a November 29 article, the Al-Akhbar daily reported that according to "sources in Sanaa… the inclusion of U.S. merchant ships and military ships in the framework of steps taken [by Sanaa] against Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, are conceivable, if the U.S. attempts to carry out any kind of attack. [We mention] this in light of the recent movements by the American aircraft carrier [Carrier Strike Group] Eisenhower and the leaks from the West."

Al-Akhbar also stated that the U.S. recently increased its military, political, and economic pressure on Yemen, in an attempt to stop its attacks against Israel. However, despite this pressure, Ansar Allah escalated its attacks and even conditioned stopping them on "the total cessation of the war against the Gaza Strip." The daily also quoted "well-informed diplomatic sources" who told it that the U.S. had instructed several Arab countries not to hold any negotiations between the opposing sides in Yemen, and that was why Jordan had refused the request of the UN envoy in Yemen to hold negotiations in Amman.[4]

The above photograph appeared with the Al-Akhbar article (Source: Al-Akhbar, November 29, 2023)

These reports and declarations follow similar declarations by senior Houthi officials in late-November 2023, in which they threatened to continue to attack Israeli ships in the Red Sea. Furthermore, they warned that if the U.S. designated them as a terrorist organization, and this designation were to harm Yemeni interests, “we will view this as a declaration of war."[5]