The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah revolutionary group Sayyed Abdulmalik Al-Houthi on Sunday called for a “million-strong” march of defiance after deadly US strikes hit the capital, Sanaa, and other areas.
“I call on our dear people to go out tomorrow on the anniversary of the Battle of Badr in a million-strong march in Sanaa and the rest of the governorates,” Sayyed Al-Houthi said in a televised address, referring to a celebrated military victory by the Prophet Muhammad.
In the speech aired Sunday night, the Yemeni revolutionary leader warned: “We will confront escalation with escalation.”
“We will respond to the US enemy in its raids, in its attacks, with missile strikes, by targeting its aircraft carrier, its warships, its ships,” he said.
“However, we also still have escalation options. If it continues its aggression, we will move to additional escalation options.”
BREAKING
Houthi leader declares that from now on, all American ships are banned from entering the Red Sea. pic.twitter.com/6sUoVR4fbW
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Hours after Sayyed Al-Houthi’s speech, Yemeni Armed Forces claimed responsibility on Monday for a second attack on a US aircraft carrier group in 24 hours, in retaliation for US strikes.
The announcement came a few hours after the US launched two strikes targeting Hodeidah, a port city in western Yemen.
On Sunday, the Yemeni Health Ministry said the overnight US strikes killed at least 53 people, including five women and two children, and wounded almost 100 in the capital of Sanaa and other provinces, including Saada.
The overnight airstrikes were one of the most extensive attacks on Yemen since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.
Source: Agencies