Firm response from the Coalition to Houthi terrorism
“Al Arabiya News” – The “Alliance to Support Legitimacy in Yemen” announced the execution of a proportional military response against legitimate targets belonging to the terrorist Houthi militia in the Al Hudaydah province, in accordance with the provisions and customary rules of international humanitarian law.
The Alliance’s spokesperson, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, said in a statement that “the Houthi militia committed a cowardly and reckless act by targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea, adding this to their list of crimes and maritime terrorism in one of the most important international waterways.”
The statement clarified that “the Alliance carried out a firm and strong response, prioritizing the preservation of the Yemeni people’s resources,” in an effort to avoid any measures that could negatively impact them and exacerbate the suffering caused by the Houthis’ practices and their continuous rejection of all initiatives aimed at alleviating it.
Al-Maliki explained that the response “focused on legitimate military targets belonging to the militia, linked to the threat facing ships in the Red Sea, and that the operation concluded by achieving the principle of proportionality and the planned operational objectives,” while noting that the Houthis’ targeting of commercial tankers reflects their nature as a “terrorist group.”
The “Alliance” highlighted that “the port of Al Hudaydah was not targeted.” It added that “all Yemeni ports, including Al Hudaydah, Ras Issa, and Al Salif, are open to maritime navigation and receive private commercial ships transporting food, goods, fuel, and construction materials, as well as flights to Yemeni airports,” thereby refuting the Houthis’ claims of a so-called blockade.
The statement pointed out that “the militia continues to refuse to operate flights from Sana’a International Airport and insists on besieging the Yemeni people to export the problems and suffering they have caused, thereby increasing the hardship of Yemenis in areas under their control,” while efforts continue under UN Security Council Resolution 2216 to prevent the Houthis from attempting, by any means, to import weapons and ammunition into Yemen to prolong their control over the country’s resources.
Al-Maliki affirmed that “Saudi Arabia has stood, and will continue to stand, alongside the Yemeni people and its government in the most difficult circumstances and changes,” driven by the Kingdom’s leadership, which has placed development and the preservation of Yemen’s economic stability at the top of its priorities, with the aim of improving the lives of Yemenis and alleviating their suffering amid the difficult economic conditions facing the country.
The “Alliance” reiterated Saudi Arabia’s continued support for the Yemeni people in confronting the terrorist militia, emphasizing that it will continue to take all operational measures and necessary steps to protect ships, Saudi interests, and national resources, and will respond to any hostile acts without leniency.
In a related development, two Yemeni military officials told Reuters that the Yemeni government’s air force launched airstrikes on Saturday on Houthi missile and drone launch sites and weapons depots in the Marib and Al Jawf governorates along the frontline with the Iran-aligned group.
The two officials added that the airstrikes were among the first offensive operations launched by the government against the rebels.
Yemeni television had reported that the air force bombed Houthi positions in the districts of Al Jabwa, Al Safra, and Majzar in Marib and Al Jawf, noting the death of several militia members.
Writing on the “X” platform, he stated, “The Houthi militia must realize that it has no choice but to respond to the people’s will,” affirming that the Yemeni government is committed to working with the Alliance to Support Legitimacy to protect waterways.
For his part, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber affirmed that the “terrorist Houthi militia has turned Yemen into a pawn in the hands of external parties seeking to advance their interests at the expense of the country’s security and stability, and the suffering of its people.” He stressed that “peace will not be achieved through slogans or political evasion, but through a sincere will that places the country’s and its people’s interests above all else.”
On Friday, a senior source in the Saudi Transport Authority announced in a statement that the vessel “NCC MASA,” owned by a Saudi company, was targeted in the Red Sea, resulting in minor damage to its hull.
The source emphasized that the continuation of such attacks constitutes a violation of international laws and norms that guarantee the safety of commercial vessels and their crews.
The targeting of the NCC MASA is the second incident of its kind, occurring less than two days after the attack on the ship “ENCELIA,” owned by another Saudi company, in the Red Sea, which resulted in a fire at the vessel’s bow.
For his part, the Saudi Civil Defense announced on Saturday morning that the threat had passed in Yanbu province and the Jazan region, following the lifting of the early warning alert.
In a statement on the “X” platform, it called on residents to “continue following the instructions of #Civil_Defense, and to completely avoid gathering and taking photographs. In case of emergency, call (911).”
