On Friday, in multiple cities, tens of thousands of Yemenis came together to listen to their leaders denounce the U.S. and British attacks on their nation, which were carried out in retaliation to assaults by Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea.
During the night, the United States and Great Britain conducted numerous air attacks on military targets belonging to the Houthi group, further escalating the ongoing regional conflict sparked by Israel's conflict in Gaza.
According to Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, the United States' actions towards Yemen can be considered as terrorist acts. Al-Houthi further labeled the United States as the embodiment of evil.
Following Hamas' aggression against Israel on October 7th, prompting Israel's retaliation towards Gaza, the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, initiated attacks on shipping routes and launched drones and missiles towards Israel. They stated that their attacks will continue until Israel's offensive comes to an end.
The Houthis, who are in control of a large part of Yemen, have declared their intention to attack any vessels bound for Israel, which is located over 1,000 miles away. They have also cautioned international shipping companies against utilizing ports in Israel.
The Houthis, who are part of the "Axis of Resistance" aligned with Iran, have been targeting Israeli and American targets in response to the attack by their Palestinian ally Hamas, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 people in Israel on October 7. These groups hold the U.S., which is Israel's closest ally, partially accountable for the situation and the extent of Israel's forceful reaction.
According to Al-Houthi, there was no aggression towards the American shores or islands, and any attacks on their country would be considered terrorism.
Harakat al-Nujaba, an Iraqi militia group with ties to Iran, says that American interests and nations aligned with the U.S. will now be at risk. Demonstrators in Sanaa expressed their anger by stomping on both Israeli and American flags.
Since October 17, Washington has reported that there have been approximately 130 attacks on U.S. and allied forces in Iraq and Syria.
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder has said that there are currently no intentions for the United States to increase its military presence in the region.