The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched operation "Al-Aqsa Flood," a surprise attack on Israel on the early morning of a major Jewish holiday. As part of the attack, the Gaza-based terrorist group fired thousands of rockets into Israel and dispatched fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a televised address to Israel, declared a mass mobilization and said, "We are at war."
Ansar Allah Movement Leader: "Al-Aqsa Flood Is An Honorable Operation That Rivals The Sky In Its Glory"
On October 7, 2023, the same day that operation Al-Aqsa Flood was launched, Muhammad Ali Al Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, delivered remarks during a march in Sana'a in support of the operation. In his opening remarks, Al-Houthi stated: "We say to all those heroic mujahideen who launched the very great operation of the free peoples: may Allah bless you and move you, your jihad, your victory, and in what you have achieved today in this heroic and honorable operation that rivals the sky in its glory, strength, elevation, morale, and in its men, who believe in Allah and trust in Allah."
Al-Houthi continued his speech by addressing the Palestinian people directly: "Oh sons of Palestine, we congratulate and praise the heroic jihadi operation 'Al-Aqsa Flood' against the occupying entity. Today, your factions have taken the reins of the battle and the reigns of the initiative, and today, they are the ones invading the enemy's heartland."
Al-Houthi To Israel: "Today We Saw Your Trained Soldiers Kneel"
Al-Houthi further took aim at Israel, hailing operation Al-Aqsa Flood for exposing the state's "weakness." He said: "The Al-Aqsa Flood Operation testifies to the fragility of the enemy, to the weakness of its intelligence, to the weakness of its strength, and to the fact that it represents nothing," Al-Houthi proclaimed, continuing, "We say to that Jew who went to make a Palestinian woman kneel, today we saw your trained soldiers kneel."
Al-Houthi Condemns Governments That Will Call For Calm
Al-Houthi continued his speech by addressing world governments, which he anticipated will call for calm. "We direct our call to regimes which will continue with their calls for calm, for a cessation [of hostilities], and which will continue to criticize the mujahideen in Palestine," Al-Houthi said, continuing, "We say to them, We know that your movements are not responsible and do not express the [will of] the masses of the Arab and Islamic peoples. We did not see you calling for calm when they assaulted Al-Aqsa Mosque, nor did we see you calling for an end to the criminal acts when the sons of the Palestinian people were being targeted. We did not see your calls at all when we saw them in the month of Ramadan assaulting the worshipers at Al-Aqsa. We did not see any of that because you are always on the enemy's side – you work for the enemy and move on behalf of the enemy."
Al-Houthi Calls For The Dissolution Of Palestinian Authority
In conclusion, Al-Houthi addressed the Palestinian Authority, calling for it to dissolve itself: "Submit your resignation and step away from the Palestinian scene, for you do not belong to its people. The leaders of the Palestinian factions are the ones who deserve to lead the Palestinian scene, for they are the ones who know the enemy and know how to inflict painful blows upon the enemy."
Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi delivers remarks at a march in Sana'a in support of operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023.
