Houthi Retaliation Threats Echo After US Airstrikes in Yemen

A geopolitical storm is brewing in the Red Sea after U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday sparked a strong reaction from the Iran-backed militia, who immediately condemned the "brutal aggression" and vowed retaliation.

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The Houthi's Supreme Political Council declared that it would not allow the aggressors to escape punishment and "all U.S. and British interests have become legitimate targets."

Meanwhile, the internationally recognized government of Yemen issued a statement condemning recent military actions by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, blaming the Houthis for "dragging the country into a military confrontation arena for propaganda purposes."

The strikes mainly targeted weapons stores and drone assembly workshops to "intentionally avoid a direct impact on senior Houthi leaders," said Salah Bin Laghbar, an Anden-based political analyst.

Laghbar suggested that the primary message behind the strikes was to convey that "the Houthi piracy in the Red Sea would not go unpunished," while the U.S., being in an election year, may "seek to project power through such military actions against Houthis in Yemen."

Yemeni political observer Ibrahim Jalal echoed that the strikes were a U.S. attempt to project strength, protect prestige, and address concerns about a potential rise in energy prices, but it fell short of addressing the root causes of the threat.

Internally, Jalal said the U.S.-led attack will instill fear and increase anti-Western sentiments among civilians as well as enhance Houthi domestic support due to its opposition to foreign intervention, while externally, Jalal points out the likelihood of the Houthis continuing and expanding the scope of their attacks, including "American interests in the region."

Yemenis are expressing widespread disapproval of the U.S.-led military actions. A prevailing sentiment among the population is rooted in a deep-seated resistance to foreign intervention in Yemen's internal affairs. Many Yemenis argue that Western involvement only exacerbates the complex socio-political dynamics in the war-torn country.

Yemeni researcher Adel Dashela said the actions are more likely to escalate the tension, which may "transform the Red Sea region into a battleground for international and regional conflicts, ultimately destabilizing the area."

The key to regional stability lies in addressing broader issues, such as "halting Israeli military aggression and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, as well as working towards establishing a Palestinian state. The stability in the region will not be achieved by violating the sovereignty of Yemen, a UN member state, through military interventions," he noted.

For several weeks, the Houthi group has intensified military operations in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, targeting commercial ships "in connecting with Israel" with armed boats, drones, and sea missiles, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen since ousting the internationally recognized government in 2014. The conflict has drawn in a Saudi-led coalition fighting on the side of the government.