Houthi Leader ‘Pleased’ with Confrontation with Israel, Vows More Escalation

The fire continues for the second day in fuel reservoirs in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah (AFP)
The fire continues for the second day in fuel reservoirs in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah (AFP)
TT
20

Houthi Leader ‘Pleased’ with Confrontation with Israel, Vows More Escalation

The fire continues for the second day in fuel reservoirs in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah (AFP)
The fire continues for the second day in fuel reservoirs in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah (AFP)

Houthi Leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi expressed his happiness on Monday at the direct confrontation with Tel Aviv, as the huge fire resulting from the Israeli raids on fuel tanks in the port of Hodeidah lasted for many hours, with the death toll rising to six persons.
The Houthi group claimed responsibility for launching missiles towards Israel on Sunday and attacking a ship in the Red Sea without causing damage.
On Saturday, the Israeli army targeted fuel tanks in the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah and its power station, a day after a drone explosion targeted Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding others.
Israel’s military said it had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile headed for the town of Eilat early on Sunday. Yemen’s Houthi militants later confirmed they had targeted the city with multiple ballistic missiles to avenge Israeli air strikes on the Yemeni port the day before.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Houthis expressed his group’s happiness at the direct confrontation with Israel, the United States and Britain. He vowed to continue the attacks against ships and Israel, and announced that the strike on Tel Aviv on Friday was the beginning of the fifth stage of the escalation.
Al-Houthi also downplayed the magnitude of the Israeli attack on the port of Hodeidah, stressing that his group would continue its operations, and that any other strikes would not have any impact on its military capabilities.
In parallel, an official source in the Yemeni government strongly condemned the Israeli bombing of Hodeidah, calling it “aggression” of Yemeni sovereignty, and “a clear violation of all international laws and norms.”
The source also warned the Iranian regime and Israel against attempts to turn Yemeni lands, through the Houthis, into an arena for their senseless wars.
While the Yemeni government renewed its support of the Palestinian people and their right to establish their independent state, it stressed that the only way to achieve peace in Yemen was to back the government’s control over the entire national territory, and implement the resolutions of international legitimacy, especially Resolution 2216.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over Israel’s airstrikes on Saturday in and around the port of Hodeidah in Yemen.
Guterres called on all parties to “avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.”
In a statement, the secretary-general said that he “remains deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region and continues to urge all to exercise utmost restraint.”

 



Egypt Welcomes Tehran’s Renaming of ‘Islamabouli Street’ as a Turning Point in Relations with Iran

Relations between Egypt and Iran saw a notable thaw following Araghchi’s visit to Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Relations between Egypt and Iran saw a notable thaw following Araghchi’s visit to Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
TT
20

Egypt Welcomes Tehran’s Renaming of ‘Islamabouli Street’ as a Turning Point in Relations with Iran

Relations between Egypt and Iran saw a notable thaw following Araghchi’s visit to Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Relations between Egypt and Iran saw a notable thaw following Araghchi’s visit to Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt has welcomed Iran’s decision to rename a Tehran street once dedicated to Khalid al-Islamabouli - the Egyptian army officer who assassinated President Anwar Sadat in 1981 - describing the move as a significant step toward resetting bilateral relations.

In the first official Egyptian response to the development, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Tamim Khallaf told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Renaming the street is a positive step in Egyptian-Iranian relations. It helps put matters back on the right track.”

The street, long a source of tension between Cairo and Tehran, has now been renamed after Hassan Nasrallah, the former Secretary-General of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, following a decision by the Tehran City Council.

Iranian media reported that a formal ceremony was held to unveil the new name, attended by officials, intellectuals, and civil society figures. The change was part of a wider initiative that saw 11 streets in the capital renamed last month.

Dr. Hoda Raouf, a Cairo-based expert on Iranian affairs, said the move reflects “a meaningful shift and a clear sign of Iran’s serious intent to restore relations with Egypt.”

She noted that Egyptian-Iranian ties have two key dimensions: regional security - particularly Egypt’s opposition to Iranian interference in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen - and the bilateral relationship, which has long been strained over symbolic gestures such as honoring Sadat’s assassin.

Political philosopher and Iran specialist Dr. Mohamed Khairy echoed that assessment, calling the street name change “a significant development.”

He emphasized that the decision was passed by majority vote and attended by influential figures from Iran’s political establishment, which he said reflects a genuine desire within Iran to repair ties with Cairo.

The gesture comes amid signs of warming relations between the two nations. Iranian top diplomat Abbas Araghchi recently visited Cairo, where he met President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and senior officials.

His visit included a symbolic walk through the historic Khan el-Khalili bazaar, prayers at the Al-Hussein Mosque, and dinner at the famed Naguib Mahfouz restaurant.

Sisi also held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the recent Israeli escalation against Iran, in which he affirmed Egypt’s rejection of Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.