Amid rising tensions with the Houthi group targeting international vessels in the Red Sea and threatening further attacks, a Yemeni military source has unequivocally denied involvement on Thursday in a new international coalition against the group.
The source, who remained anonymous, emphasized that decisions in this regard are a sovereign prerogative of the highest authorities, referencing the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC).
According to a report by the state-run Saba news agency, the source emphasized the importance of supporting the capabilities of the Yemeni government and its relevant agencies in protecting regional waters to deter threats from Houthi militias and contain their catastrophic implications on international navigation, the humanitarian situation in Yemen, and global peace and security.
The Yemeni source reiterated a warning to the Houthis, cautioning against their reckless ventures that jeopardize national interests and the risks of militarizing Yemen's regional waters, potentially turning them into a broader international conflict theater.
Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a missile strike on a Norwegian-flagged tanker a day earlier off Yemen’s coast in the Red Sea.
Moreover, US reports revealed on Wednesday that another commercial ship, carrying a fuel shipment, narrowly evaded two missiles close to the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
Houthis claim that their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and vow to target all ships heading to Israeli ports, irrespective of their nationality.
The Yemeni government contends that the group follows Iran’s directives, disassociating its attacks from the Palestinian cause.
Amid concerns that the militarization of the Red Sea may impede the UN-led peace process in Yemen mediated by Saudi Arabia and Oman, the French Navy confirmed downing a Houthi drone on Tuesday, marking Paris’s second intervention against Houthi attacks.
As the US threatens military intervention in Yemen, the Yemeni government approaches the escalating situation cautiously, while the international community holds responsibility for developments in the Red Sea.
Major powers have hindered the liberation of Hodeidah and its ports, pressing for the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement.
The Houthi group has exploited this agreement to enhance its military capabilities, escalating its threat to navigation in the Red Sea.
