The Yemeni government strongly condemned what it described as a terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi militia against a commercial vessel in the Red Sea.
In a statement, the government said the latest escalation demonstrates the militia’s determination to undermine regional and international efforts aimed at reducing tensions and to drag Yemen into conflicts that do not serve the interests of its people.
The government stated that the military response by the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen was conducted as part of joint efforts to combat terrorism, protect international navigation and maritime security, and deter criminal activities targeting civilian vessels. It added that the operation was carried out in accordance with international law, as well as the principles of necessity and proportionality, while taking all necessary precautions to avoid harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The statement emphasized that Yemeni ports, including the Port of Hodeidah, continue to receive commercial ships and humanitarian aid normally and have not sustained any damage. It said this reflects the coalition’s commitment to protecting civilian infrastructure, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods, food supplies, and fuel, and safeguarding both citizens’ interests and international trade.
The Yemeni government said the latest escalation once again demonstrates that the Houthi militia is “openly gambling with the interests of the Yemeni people and the country’s national resources in service of the Iranian regime’s agenda and to strengthen its negotiating position by using the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait as leverage against the regional and international community.”
The government also affirmed that, in coordination with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy and its regional and international partners, it will continue taking all necessary measures to protect civilians, preserve Yemen’s sovereignty, secure international shipping lanes, ensure the continued operation of Yemeni ports and the flow of trade and humanitarian supplies, and deter any threats to national or regional security.
It further stressed that Yemen would not allow its territory to continue being used as a platform to threaten neighboring countries or international maritime security.
The government held the Houthi militia fully responsible for the humanitarian, economic, and security consequences resulting from what it described as its destructive policies. It also called on the international community to adopt a firmer stance against the group by cutting off its sources of funding and weapons, holding its supporters accountable, and safeguarding regional stability and shared international interests.
