Houthis Vow Retaliation After US-UK Airstrikes in Yemen

The Houthi rebel group in Yemen has vowed strong retaliation against the United States and Britain for airstrikes carried out earlier on Friday in areas under their control.

RELATED: 

United States and United Kingdom Attack Yemen

“As part of its support for Israel's continued crime in Gaza, the US-British enemy launched brutal aggression against Yemen with seventy-three attacks targeting the capital city Sanaa, and the provinces of Hodeidah, Taiz, Hajjah, and Saada," the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea, adding that the attacks left five people dead and six soldiers injured.

"The American and British enemies bear full responsibility for their criminal aggression against the Yemeni people. Their attack will not go unanswered or unpunished."

Sarea reiterated the Houthis' stance in support of the Palestinian cause, saying the raids "will not deter us from our position in support of the Palestinian people."

Additionally, the Houthi representative confirmed the rebel group will continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Arabian and Red Seas.

"The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to attack threat sources and all hostile targets on land and sea in defense of Yemen, its sovereignty and independence," Sarea stressed.

Meanwhile, the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States issued a joint statement justifying their attack on Yemen.

Claiming that its actions are consistent with the United Nations Charter, the Western alliance maintains that its actions are a response to the Houthi attacks against vessels in the Red Sea.

"Today's action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks," the joint statement alleges.