Exclusive: ‘We in Yemen are under aggression’, says Houthi-led government official on Red Sea

In an exclusive interview with India Today, a representative of the Houthi rebel government in Yemen spoke out about the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea. Ambassador Mohammed Al Sadah, Head of International Organisations at the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told India Today that the recent US designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organisation will have no significant impact on their situation as they have been under blockade for the past nine years.

“It’s a ridiculous designation. We in Yemen have been under aggression and blockade for nine years now. The American designation is more political than legal. It’s not a legal designation,” he said.

He also said that the Houthis are in direct war with the US, and the UK. Earlier, they were fighting to support their brothers in Gaza, but since the American and British attacks in Yemen, this is now a direct war between Houthis and the US and the UK. He said that the Red Sea would “swallow” the American and British warships.

He said, “Now, the military presence of the United States and UK., this military presence in the Red Sea, it should, you know, stop and eliminate. The American forces, the Navy, should depart and return to the United States. Otherwise, it would be a legitimate target for the Yemeni Navy.”

Adding, “The Red Sea will swallow (their ships). We will sink warships in the Red Sea. And this is a clear message from Yemen. It’s true that comparing the capabilities between us and the United States, they have advanced weapons, but we have a fair and just cause. And we will defend, and we will sacrifice until we win this battle with the United States.”

He also added that this war will now derail the peace talks between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis have also said that the attacks on ships in the Red Sea are only on those ships that bear US, and Israeli flags or those countries supporting Israel. Other commercial ships are not a target.

“Our military operation in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea only will target the Israeli ships or those ships linked to Israel or navigate to the Palestinian-occupied seaport. The Americans are trying to mislead the world by saying that Sana’a (Yemen’s capital city) military operation in the sea is targeting freedom of navigation, which is wrong. We restate and reaffirm that the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, are secure, and we guarantee the freedom of navigation in the regional water,” said Ambassador Mohammed Al-Sadah.

He added, “But now the situation is different. A Sana’a official statement read, we are now targeting the American, British Navy and military presence in the region and their interest as well.”

HERE’s THE FULL INTERVIEW

The United States of America has designated the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist organisation. How are you looking at this development? Because that certainly is going to curtail Yemen’s movement, not just in terms of supplies, food, aid, but also of how the country is going to sustain itself.

First, thank you for having me for this interview. Regarding the question about the US designation of Sana’a. Really, it’s nonsense. It’s a ridiculous designation. We in Yemen are under aggression and under blockade for nine years now. The American designation, it’s is more political than legal. It’s not a legal designation. According to the American standards and criteria, the United States, by this designation, will add nothing to the reality in the field. Also, by this designation, the United States is trying to hinder the peace process which achieved a high level (engagement) between Sana’a and Riyadh. Well, this designation also reflects a high level of frustration inside the Biden administration and reflects the contradiction between the saying and the practice. They are saying they would like to de-escalate the situation and not widen the war in the region, but they are doing the opposite. This designation, as I said, will not affect Yemen because we have been under attack from the US aggression and blockade for nine years.

Are you saying that the recent attacks within Yemen of the Houthi camps are certainly going to derail the peace talks or the moderation that the US was carrying out between Saudi Arabia and Yemen?

Yes. The Saudi foreign ministry, in their statement regarding the US escalation, called for restraint. Unfortunately, the US is trying to protect the Israeli entity by supporting all kinds of support, military support, and political support. We in Yemen are standing with Palestine, trying to send a clear message to the whole world that our military operation in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will only target Israeli ships or those ships linked to Israel or navigate to the Palestinian-occupied seaport. The Americans are trying to mislead the world by saying that Sana’a’s military operation in the sea is targeting freedom of navigation, which is wrong. We restate and reaffirm that the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, are secure and we guarantee freedom of navigation in the regional waters. But now the situation is different. A Sana’a official statement said, “We are now targeting the American, British Navy and military presence in the region and their interest as well.

That’s a massive statement coming from you, Ambassador. The fact that you’re saying that there is this military operation that the Houthi regime is carrying out in the Red Sea, whether it’s against Israelis or ships that have other flags that support the cause of Israel, will this military operation continue despite the pressure on not getting into the war between Israel and Hamas?

Well, the situation now is different. At first, we linked our military operation to the situation and the Israeli aggression and siege on Gaza. But once the US attacked Yemen, the situation was different. Sana’a will retaliate, defend their people, defend their military forces, will respond to American, and British attacks. We will respond. Now we are in a direct war with the US and UK and despite the de-escalation in Palestine, now we have to retaliate. The Americans are in our region, they are attacking us. So we have to defend ourselves and defend our country.

It is said that the Houthis are being backed by Iran and that this is a proxy war that the Houthis are a part of between Iran and the Sunni Arab world and the Western forces, particularly the United States of America. What do you have to say about the charges that are levelled against the Houthis, also the claims that have been made that you certainly are backed and supported by Iran?

The American allegation is false. They are trying to spread disinformation. We, in Yemen, the de facto government in Sana’a, are independent, and we are carrying out this operation, supporting our brothers in Palestine. We will clear once the Israeli aggression and attack, once they ceasefire there, we will stop our operations. We also, in Yemen, have relations with different friends in the region. We are independent states, but the Americans, as usual, are trying to disinform and mix this situation, trying to make it appear that Sana’a is working under the instruction of Tehran, which is wrong.

We have good relations with Tehran, with Hezbollah, under the umbrella of resistance actions. This is legitimate. Also, the Americans are supporting the Israeli enemy. At the same time, we are supporting our brothers, the Palestinians, to defend themselves and to get rid of the Israeli occupation. This is our right.

Americans say that it’s not just the US-bound ships or those with US flags or Israeli flags, or all those countries supporting Israel, but there are other countries also who’ve come under the Houthi attack. How do you explain the legitimacy of disrupting a global supply chain through the Red Sea?

Who disrupts the navigation, international navigation and international commerce in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is the United States. The escalation of the United States reflected this disruption of navigation. We in Sana’a emphasise and reaffirm that we are only targeting the vessels linked to the Israeli enemy and now the American and UK vessels as well. Now there are three enemies. We are targeting them. The other ships, other vessels, have the full freedom to navigate in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, in the Gulf of Aden, in regional waters.

We are not targeting any ships except those ships or entrants linked to the United States, UK, and Israeli enemies.

We have seen what is happening in Gaza. The killing of civilians is absolutely disproportionate, Ambassador, but you entering the fray militarily, does it not just disrupt but also escalate tensions in the region?

Actually, it’s not Yemen that is disrupting or escalating. If we look at the situation from the beginning, we see that the United States, by their full support, unlimited support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza, their war crime, aggression, pushed Yemen to take this position to help Gaza. Also, we shouldn’t forget that the United States used vetoes on all the resolutions, put it in the national security on the issue of ceasefire and to allow entry of food and medicine to our brothers in Gaza. The United States is hindering the ceasefire until now. The United States is supporting Israel militarily, politically, by all means.

So, as an Arab country, as a Muslim, we have to stand and support our brothers. And this is not only Yemen’s position, there is an international consensus about ceasing fire in Gaza. So, Americans are challenging this international world and the call from the international community to stop Israeli aggression and war crimes in Gaza. But the United States is not listening to the whole world, they are listening only to Netanyahu and his government. So, we in Yemen are on the right side, we are defending ourselves, defending our brothers. This is a situation where morals and principles should hold. We are not an exception.

The whole world is supporting Palestine. There are massive rallies in the whole cities of the world, you know, supporting Palestine and condemning American aggression and support for Israel.

The Americans had lifted the designation in 2021. They’ve re-designated you. You’re willing to continue this fight at the cost of your people. There is going to be a lot of suffering when it comes to aid not reaching Yemen or supplies not reaching Yemen. Is Yemen willing to, are the Houthis willing to bear that cost?

Well, as I said, this designation will add nothing to reality because we are already under blockade. We are already under attack, under aggression. You know, since we are in a war with the Saudi-American coalition, this is not new for us. And despite all that, we will defend ourselves. We know that. You know, we are now in a direct war with the US and the UK. And this war will be long. And we are prepared for that. We are ready for that. And instead of going to war with the mercenaries of the United States, now we are in a direct war with the United States.

Final question to you. A direct war with the United States of America. You said that now it is beyond the war between Israel and Hamas and that this will continue irrespective of peace between the two sides. You also spoke about retaliation. What is the retaliation? What is the kind of retaliation that Yemen that the Houthis are planning? And are you saying that this war will continue irrespective of what happens in Gaza now?

Yes. Now, the military presence of the United States and UK, this military presence in the Red Sea, should, you know, stop and be eliminated. The American forces, the Navy, should depart and return to the United States. Otherwise, it will be a legitimate target for the Yemeni Navy.

The Red Sea will swallow (their ships). We will sink warships in the Red Sea. And this is a clear message from Yemen. It’s true that, comparing the capabilities between us and the United States, they have advanced weapons, but we have a fair and just cause. And we will defend and we will sacrifice until we win this battle with the United States.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW