The Houthi group in Yemen has admitted that one of its leaders was killed in a recent US strike in Iraq’s Jurf al-Sakhar area. This highlights the support they receive from Iranian experts and groups allied with Tehran.
Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani said his country is fighting not just the Houthis but also Iran and its regional allies. He urged the international community to take a firm stance against the group and label it a terrorist organization.
Al-Eryani announced that the Houthi militia has confirmed the death of drone expert Hussein Abdullah Mastour al-Shaabel (Abu Jihad), from Maran in Saada province.
He was killed in US airstrikes on a drone facility in Jurf al-Sakhar, operated by the Iran-aligned Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah, which is recognized as a terrorist organization.
This highlights the close ties between the Houthis and Iranian-backed groups, showing they act as tools for Iran’s destructive and expansionist policies, stressed al-Eryani.
The minister emphasized that recent events clearly expose Iran’s deep involvement in spreading chaos and terrorism in the region, with the Houthis playing a major role.
He stated that the ten-year war in Yemen is not just against the Houthis but against the Iranian regime and its proxies. The Houthis are merely a front for Iran’s broader ambitions, a point the Yemeni government has consistently warned about.
Moreover, al-Eryani criticized the international community for not taking strong action against the Houthis.
“The world has ignored these facts and failed in its responsibility to support the legitimate government and ensure regional and international peace,” said the minister.
“At times, the international community has even sided with the Houthis,” he reminded, adding that “these events show that Iran and its militias use the Palestinian issue to rally support and push their own destructive goals.”
“They threaten Arab nations’ security and stability, spread chaos and terrorism, and endanger international interests,” noted al-Eryani.
Moreover, he called for global action to address the terrorism of the Tehran regime, which is harming several nations. He urged the international community to hold Iran accountable to UN principles, stop its smuggling of weapons and fighters to the Houthis, and comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
Al-Eryani also asked for the Houthis to be labeled as a “global terrorist organization,” with sanctions including freezing their assets and banning their leaders from traveling.
He emphasized the need for better international coordination to track and target those supporting the Houthis, and for increased cooperation in intelligence sharing and monitoring to prevent further support for them.
