Houthis Threaten to Launch Terrorist Attacks in Response to Security Council Condemnation

Houthi militants in Sanaa display drones believed to be of Iranian origin (EPA)
Houthi militants in Sanaa display drones believed to be of Iranian origin (EPA)
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Houthis Threaten to Launch Terrorist Attacks in Response to Security Council Condemnation

Houthi militants in Sanaa display drones believed to be of Iranian origin (EPA)
Houthi militants in Sanaa display drones believed to be of Iranian origin (EPA)

The Iran-backed Houthi militia responded to a UN Security Council statement condemning its attack on the al-Dabba port in Hadramout by threatening to expand its attacks and warning that it could resort to any option to target local energy facilities and maritime trade.

The militias have targeted two oil ports on the Arabian Sea in the Hadramout and Shabwa governorates.

The attacks drew Arab and international condemnation amid the militias' efforts to force the legitimate government to pay the militants' salaries in its control areas and share crude oil sales proceeds.

The Security Council statement described the Houthi attack on the oil port in Hadramout as "terrorist," saying it is a severe threat to peace and stability in Yemen.

In response, the Houthi foreign ministry issued a statement accusing the Security Council of attempting to manipulate the facts and adopting double standards.

The militias tried to evade the consequences of their actions and legitimize them by claiming they aimed to protect Yemeni wealth.

They said the attacks "were not an aggressive or offensive message" in international waters or shipping lanes, but instead a warning inside Yemeni territorial waters.

The statement threatened to repeat the attacks on a larger scale, saying that all options are open for a broader range of strict measures.

The Houthi statement renewed the group's demands, which the Security Council described as "extremist," regarding the payment of the salaries of its militants and the lifting of UN restrictions on the sea and air ports under its control to smuggle Iranian weapons.

It called on the Council to issue a new binding resolution to prepare the negotiations for a peaceful political settlement to reach a comprehensive peace.

Meanwhile, Yemenis await the results of the efforts of UN envoy Hans Grundberg in the coming days after the militias rejected his proposal to extend and expand the armistice.

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council and the legitimate government approved the proposal for humanitarian purposes.

There are fears that the Houthi intransigence would reignite the clashes on various fronts after a relative calm throughout the six months of the truce that began on April 2, and the militias refused to extend it for the third time on October 2.

The Yemeni government welcomed the recent Security Council condemnation, pointing to "the urgent need to deter the Iranian-back terrorist Houthi militias and their actions that threaten regional and international peace and security."

The Yemeni statement underlined "the necessity to punish the perpetrators of the attacks and support the Yemeni government's decision to include the Houthi militias on the list of terrorist organizations."



Aoun Condemns Attempts to Drag Lebanon Anew into Violence

FILED - 17 January 2025, Lebanon, Baabda: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference at Baabda Palace. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
FILED - 17 January 2025, Lebanon, Baabda: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference at Baabda Palace. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
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Aoun Condemns Attempts to Drag Lebanon Anew into Violence

FILED - 17 January 2025, Lebanon, Baabda: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference at Baabda Palace. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
FILED - 17 January 2025, Lebanon, Baabda: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference at Baabda Palace. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned on Saturday Israel’s attempts to drag Lebanon once again into the endless “spiral of violence”, following Israeli claims that it had intercepted three missiles launched from south Lebanon.
A statement released by the Lebanese Presidency said that Aoun called for "avoiding any repercussions and ensuring control over any violations that could endanger the nation during these sensitive times."
Aoun has directed the Army Commander, General Rodolphe Haikal, to “take all necessary field measures to ensure the safety of citizens and conduct investigations regarding the incident”, added the statement.
Also in a statement, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, asked the Lebanese military to take all necessary measures in the south, but said the country did not want to return to war.
He reaffirmed that “only the state holds the authority to decide on matters of war and peace."
The Prime Minister also contacted Janine Plasschaert, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Lebanon, during which he urged the United Nations to "intensify international pressure on Israel to fully withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories”.
He emphasized that Israel’s “occupation violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire arrangements established by the previous government in November, to which Lebanon remains committed".

On Saturday, Israeli artillery and airstrikes hit south Lebanon after Israel said it had intercepted rockets fired from across the border, a clash endangering a shaky truce that ended a year-long war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

That conflict marked the deadliest spillover of the Gaza war, rumbling across the border for months before escalating into a blistering Israeli offensive that wiped out Hezbollah's top commanders, many of its fighters and much of its arsenal.