Trump hypes up tensions with Iran
By M. K. BHADRAKUMAR | Indian Punchline | March 17, 2025
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon “to launch a decisive and powerful military operation” against the Houthis of Yemen with “overwhelming lethal force” in the most significant military action of his second term, to date.
The US attacks began on Saturday and continued into Sunday on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and other areas reportedly killing 31 people and wounding 101 so far, most of them children and women.
Such wanton killing of defenceless women and children can only be seen as an act of cowardice. Trump has blood on his hands. Trump wrote on Truth Social addressing the Houthis, “Your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don’t, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”
Thereupon, Trump abruptly digressed to address Iran that it needed to immediately stop supporting the Houthis. Trump threatened, “America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!”
Iran has reacted strongly. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Trump has no authority or business to dictate Iran’s foreign policy. Araghchi noted that Houthis are only reacting to “Israeli genocide and terrorism”. The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Hossein Salami warned that Iran would give “a destructive response” to any attack.
Trump’s belligerence came within two days of a visit by Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, to Tehran on Thursday to hand over a letter from Trump addressed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks on Iran’s nuclear programme and Iran’s support to resistance groups. Tehran remains open to nuclear talks but has rejected any linkage with its regional policies.
Meanwhile, Tehran has begun circling the wagons as a new phase is beginning in Trump’s foreign policies, with tensions rising steadily over the nuclear issue. The October deadline is drawing closer by the day for invoking the snapback clause in the JCPOA (2015 Iran nuclear deal) to reinstate UN Security Council sanctions will expire, and Iran’s enrichment programme, on the other hand, has apparently reached a point where it already has a stockpile to make “several” nuclear bombs, per the International Atomic Energy Agency.
On March 14, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi hosted a joint meeting in Beijing with the Russian and Iranian deputy foreign ministers where he proposed five points “on the proper settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue”, which, for all purposes endorsed Tehran’s stance. It was a resounding diplomatic victory for Iran.
Interestingly, the Beijing meeting was timed to coincide with the conclusion of a 6-day naval exercise at Iran’s Chabahar Port with the theme of Creating Peace and Security Together between the navies of Iran, Russia and China. A readout by the Chinese Ministry of Defence stated that “The naval exercise enhanced the joint operational capabilities of the three navies to respond to various emergencies and maintain maritime security, deepened military trust and practical cooperation among the navies of the participating countries, and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation.”
All these developments taken into account, Trump faces multiple challenges at the diplomatic level over the Iranian nuclear issue with Tehran, Moscow and Beijing coordinating their approaches in the crucial six-month period ahead and Tehran giving confusing signals over Trump’s letter to Khamenei. Trump cannot be pleased with the developing situation on the diplomatic track and some pressure tactic becomes necessary against Iran. Simply put, Trump’s egocentric mind took the easy route of punching the Houthis so hard to send an indirect message to Tehran (and Moscow and Beijing) that he is not to be trifled with.
Indeed, Moscow has lately waded into the Iran nuclear issue and is positioning itself for a mediatory role potentially. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently came out against attaching extraneous issues (eg., verifiable arrangements by Tehran to ensure the cessation of its support for resistance groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria) to the nuclear negotiations. Lavrov said frankly, “Such a thing is unlikely to yield results.”
Lavrov has also emphasised Moscow’s support for Tehran’s basic stance that any resumption of US-Iran negotiations ought to be stemming from the 2015 nuclear deal known as the JCPOA which carries the approval of the UN Security Council (which of course Trump tore up in 2018.)
Don’t be surprised if Moscow is wading into the US-Iran nuclear standoff with great deliberation when it is tackling on a parallel track Trump’s intrusive calls for cessation of Russian special military operations in Ukraine even while there is much unfinished business which remains to be completed and Ukraine showing no genuine interest in negotiations with Russia — and has actually enacted a law expressly prohibiting such negotiations.
Specifically, Trump would know he is in no position to get Zelensky to agree to a surrender of weapons by the Ukrainian troops in Kursk — although, Putin has offered that “If they lay down their weapons and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and decent treatment.”
The crunch time is coming as the Russian deadline for peaceful surrender is about to expire by 6 am Moscow time today. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council wrote on Telegram channel that “should they refuse to lay down arms, they will all be systematically and mercilessly eliminated.” Trump’s nerves must be on edge as embedded within the Ukrainian occupying forces there could be Western mercenaries as well.
In the circumstances, one feels sorry for the Houthis whom Trump is using as a punchbag to vent his frustrations and suppressed fury against Tehran. Top officials in the Trump administration have openly acknowledged that Tehran is being notified that “enough is enough” — an expression used by Trump’s National Security advisor Mike Waltz to interpret the nuanced message of the air and missile strike against the Houthis.
Certainly, Yemen which has gone through so much suffering does not deserve such bestial attacks. As for Houthis, they are yet to attack any ships despite threatening to do so over Israel’s blockade on all food, fuel and other supplies into the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have accused the Trump administration of overstating the threat of maritime embargo, which is limited only to Israeli navigation until humanitarian aid is delivered to the people of Gaza according to the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
Evidently, the Houthis are neither looking for a showdown with Trump nor are they to be regarded as Iranian proxies. Houthis halted the drone and missile attacks altogether when the Gaza ceasefire was declared in January. Even Trump’s best argument is that Houthis had attacked US ships during the Biden administration.
Nonetheless, US Central Command described Saturday’s strikes as the start of a large-scale operation that may continue indefinitely. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote on X, “Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice, Freedom of Navigation will be restored.” Behind such fictitious rhetoric, Hegseth probably understands that Trump expects him to keep the pot boiling in the Gulf region through the next several months as the Iran nuclear issue approaches a point of criticality.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a readout on Saturday, stated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Lavrov and informed him about the US decision to attack the Houthis. It said Lavrov, in response, “emphasised the need for an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance of all parties engaging in political dialogue to find a solution that prevents further bloodshed.” Well, the shoe is on the other foot now, isn’t it? On March 15, Trump forfeited the moral ground to be leading with peace through strength in his foreign policy.
Yemen Will Stand with Gaza, Even if it Means War with the US: Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Full speech of Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, leader of Ansar Allah, about Trump’s latest aggression against Yemen – March 16, 2025
Yesterday, the American enemy announced a new wave of aggression against our country, launching a series of airstrikes and naval bombardments targeting homes and residential neighborhoods in the capital, Sana’a, and several other Yemeni governorates. These attacks resulted in dozens of martyrs and wounded, including women and children.
This brutal and unjust assault is yet another example of US tyranny and arrogance toward our (Islamic) Nation. Its objective is clear: to support the Israeli enemy after our country took a firm stand in support of the Palestinian people against Israel’s starvation campaign in Gaza. Israel has not only blocked the entry of humanitarian aid but has also completely prevented the flow of goods into the besieged strip.
The starvation of two million Palestinians is an immense crime—an unequivocal crime against humanity. No one with a human conscience, no one with sincere Islamic faith, can remain silent in the face of such an atrocity. Yet, it is deeply unfortunate that most Muslim and Arab regimes have responded with indifference. There has been no serious effort to prevent Israel’s deliberate starvation of Gaza’s people. In fact, the situation has escalated to the point where Israel is now actively depriving them of water as well.
The suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza is an immense tragedy, yet many choose to ignore it. Israeli conditioning has set the bar for global outrage so high that only large-scale massacres by bombs and weapons seem to provoke attention. As a result, when suffering takes the form of starvation and deprivation rather than immediate mass killing, many fail to even follow the events unfolding there.
However, the deliberate starvation of Gaza’s people—the complete blockade of aid and goods—is no less than a method of extermination. For fifteen days now, the Israeli enemy has kept Gaza’s crossings closed, intensifying the suffering of its people. Anyone who observes the magnitude of this humanitarian crisis can recognize it as a catastrophe.
In contrast, the responsibility to act falls first and foremost upon our own (Islamic) Nation—upon all Muslims, upon every people and country within our Ummah. Yet, where is the serious action? Where is the political effort beyond empty statements? Where is the economic pressure? Most regimes have taken no real position in any meaningful way. Worse still, they influence their people, suppressing their ability to act, leaving them paralyzed as mere spectators.
This failure to uphold our great religious, moral, and humanitarian obligations poses a grave danger to our entire Nation. The root cause? Fear of America. That is the reality. Fear of America, which stands as a direct accomplice to all Israel’s crimes—protecting it, enabling it, and ensuring it carries out its atrocities without consequence.
This is what has driven much of our Nation—both its governments and its people—into failure and neglect of its duties, whether dictated by faith, morality, or basic humanity. In the holy month of Ramadan, as Muslims increase their recitation of the Quran, they must also reflect on their human, moral, religious, and faith-based responsibilities. At the same time, they must recognize the grave danger of a world where fear of America outweighs fear of divine punishment—where whole countries and peoples abandon their sacred duties to the Ummah out of submission to foreign powers.
What is happening to the Palestinian people—extermination, starvation, killing, displacement, and oppression—without any meaningful reaction from the Muslim world, sets a dangerous precedent. It opens the door for similar horrors elsewhere. Any other Arab or Muslim country could be next. Wherever the Americans and Israelis choose to repeat their crimes—whether in Palestine’s neighboring countries or beyond—the result will be the same. Others will remain passive, shackled by fear, humiliation, and inaction. It is a great danger for the whole Ummah, as it emboldens the American enemy and the Israeli oppressor. Neither of them has a conscience. Neither considers the silence, passivity and inaction of other nations as a deterrent—only as an encouragement to commit further crimes. They have great (hegemonic and expansionist) ambitions and agressive projects against our (Islamic) Nation, as well as ideological foundations (supremacism) as well as foundations rooted in their colonialist inclination and tyrannical behavior.
That’s why Yemen’s stance has been clear. Our decision to support the Palestinian people, including our move to block Israeli maritime navigation, that clearly targets the Israeli enemy and no one else, is aimed solely at pressuring Israel to open the crossings, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and put an end to the starvation of Gaza.
What is happening in Gaza is outright starvation, compounded by imposed thirst, amid the immense Nakba (catastrophe) the Palestinian people are enduring. After 15 months of relentless annihilation and mass destruction, every aspect of life in Gaza has been systematically erased. This is not a situation where a decision to block aid and goods has a minimal impact—it is devastating. The conditions were already dire; there are no food reserves, no agricultural activity, and no remaining essentials for survival. The entire Gaza Strip has been utterly destroyed.
The reality is evident to anyone paying attention—conditions there are beyond desperate. From the very first moment the Israeli enemy took this step, it inflicted immense harm and suffering on the Palestinian people. And now, after 15 more days, that suffering has only worsened. Yet, as we have said before, there has been no serious response from Arab regimes, nor even from the broader Islamic world—no true action in the full sense of the word.
As for us, a people, our faith compels us. The Messenger of God ﷺ said: “Faith is Yemeni, and wisdom is Yemeni.” Guided by this faith and our human conscience, we cannot simply stand by. Our country has stood with the Palestinian people for 15 months, supporting them in the battle of Al-Aqsa Flood, resisting the genocide committed by the Israeli enemy in partnership with the United States.
Throughout this period, our people have also withstood American aggression—intended to bolster the Israeli enemy—and will remain unwavering in their active support for Palestine, especially as the threat of extermination persists. There are red lines in the Palestinian situation. When the Israeli enemy, with full American backing and protection, perpetrates genocide, that is a red line. We cannot stand idly by. There are legal and humanitarian obligations in this regard—obligations that extend beyond Muslims, enshrined in international law and the UN Charter. Yet all have abandoned them: the international community, other nations—they have forsaken these humanitarian duties. And in our Islamic world, they abandon their humanitarian, religious, and moral responsibilities, even when their own national security and interests are at stake. They forsake everything. It is a total abdication. This emboldens the Israeli enemy, just as it emboldens the American enemy—a full partner in these crimes. This inaction offers no solution to the Ummah, nor does it avert the looming danger, nor does it provide any real solution to the ongoing crisis..
Our nation’s decision to support the Palestinian people—by blocking Israeli navigation and enforcing restrictions against the enemy—comes from this humanitarian, moral, religious, and faith-driven commitment. It is a means to press for the entry of aid and to end the starvation of two million Palestinians in Gaza. This is not a minor issue that can be ignored; it is a grave humanitarian crime against millions of people.
Thus, when the American enemy escalates its aggression through airstrikes, it will not achieve its goal of pressuring us into retreating from our position. The only real solution is ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid, putting an end to the starvation and dehydration of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The situation is beyond catastrophic.
What the Israeli enemy is doing on top of that—targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque, seeking to seize or demolish it, and attempting to forcibly displace the Palestinian people—must be considered as firm red lines by our entire (Islamic) Nation. If the enemy sees that, regardless of his actions, the Ummah takes no decisive steps, makes no real decisions, and adopts no serious stance, he will be emboldened to escalate further. His Zionist agenda is well known, and every major act of aggression and escalation he commits without consequences only paves the way for even greater crimes.
Indeed, his goal is full control over the Palestinian people—erasing their existence and liquidating their cause. This is the shared objective of both the Israeli and American enemies, who fully embrace Zionist ideology, champion its project, and act accordingly.
That is why it is impossible for us to forsake our duties towards these red lines. Even if all remain silent, we will not remain silent. We will do everything we can, considering our resources and capabilities, along with our possibilities. This is a sacred responsibility before God Almighty, and neglecting it invites divine punishment, both in this world and the next. It is far easier for us to stand in opposition to the tyrants of our time, to face their threats, and to sacrifice for the sake of God, than to face the wrath of God Himself. We will not bring upon ourselves His displeasure, anger, and Hellfire—neither in this world nor in the Hereafter.
We are certain that when we take the right stance—one fully aligned with our humanitarian, moral, and religious obligations, as well as the national security interests of our Ummah in —God will be our ultimate supporter. “He is the best of helpers.” We place our trust in God. We believe in His true promise. We rely on God, the Almighty, and He is the best of protectors.
The United States, in their statements and declarations, claim that one of the reasons for their latest wave of brutal, unjust, and criminal aggression against our country is our people’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause over the past 15 months. This support has been in direct opposition to the genocidal aggression carried out by the Israeli enemy with American partnership and protection. The US frames its assault as punishment for our people’s honorable, courageous, and steadfast stance alongside the Palestinian people in resisting genocide.
We say this: That honorable stance—taken for the sake of Almighty God and in fulfillment of these faith-based, humanitarian, moral, and religious obligations—is one our people will never regret. It is a noble position, a great position, a position that brings us closer to God. It has strengthened our people on all fronts, including militarily.
It is a stance of dignity, taken by our dear people with faith and insight. Thus, no matter the extent of American and Israeli tyranny, our people will not waver from their Quranic, faith-driven, moral, and humanitarian course. We will stand firm against this oppression. This American aggression will fail—by God’s will—just as it has failed before. It will not succeed in pressuring our people or our people and country to abandon their principles. This is a fundamental, unwavering commitment, rooted in faith, morality, and necessity in every sense of the word, as we will explain in more detail.
The US will not achieve its goal of weakening our country’s military capabilities—by God’s will—because we are engaged in a jihadist struggle and have been resisting American aggression for many years. This is merely another chapter in that battle. And as in previous confrontations, this new round of aggression will only contribute to further strengthening and developing our military capabilities, God willing.
We will meet escalation with escalation—that is our approach. Yesterday, our armed forces responded immediately to US attacks, launching (18) missiles and drones in retaliation for the American airstrikes and bombings on our land. This is our choice, our decision, our path. As long as the American enemy persists in its aggression, its warships, aircraft carriers, and naval vessels will be targeted by our missiles and drones.
Furthermore, maritime restrictions will extend to US vessels as long as the aggression continues. The US is the one turning the sea into a battlefield, thereby directly impacting maritime navigation and global trade. Our decision was only targeting Israeli ships, and will now extend to US ships, but they are the ones who turn the sea into a battlefield and threaten maritime navigation. It is essential that all nations recognize who truly threatens international waters and the movement of ships.
The United States and Israel are the sources of evil and instability—globally and across the region. They are responsible for aggression, crimes, and chaos. They undermine peace in every sense of the word, plunging the world into crisis and conflict, East and West alike. They are arrogant, oppressive, and hostile.
We have additional escalation options at our disposal. We will respond to American escalation by escalation. We will retaliate to aggression with missile strikes targeting its aircraft carriers, battleships, and naval forces, and target its commercial ships. If the U.S. continues its hostilities, we will escalate further, by God’s will.
Our dear people will mobilize in full force—through general mobilization and across all sectors—just as they have done with strength and honor over the past 15 months in opposing the Israeli genocidal aggression against the Palestinian people, which has been carried out with U.S. partnership and protection. Now, in the face of this aggression against our country and the deliberate starvation and deprivation of the Palestinian people in Gaza, our country will rise once again in a widespread movement to confront tyranny.
We are not acting recklessly or seeking conflict. We are standing on a foundation of faith, morality, humanity, and jihad for the sake of Almighty God. We resist oppression, injustice, and the criminal arrogance of the U.S. and Israel. The US strives to submit the region as a whole to Israel, and it is clear to everybody.
Although the United States is a partner in the agreement to halt the aggression against the Gaza Strip, deliver aid, and end the starvation of the Palestinian people there, and has commitments in this regard, clear commitments. What are the obligations between states, between people for? Agreements are signed with clear obligations, but the United States disregards its commitments by failing to honor its obligations and breaking agreements. The Israeli side, too, violates every covenant and pact, denying any agreement. What the Israeli enemy is doing in Palestine, particularly in the West Bank, are continuous crimes. In the Jenin refugee camp, for example, they continue daily killings, forced displacement, and destruction, as well as in other camps like Tulkarm and others.
What the enemy also does, with regard to the repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, these are steps, as we said, that are not the end, not the final ceiling of what the Israeli enemy is doing. These are steps within the Israeli enemy’s plan. And every time the Ummah remains silent, it dares to do more. See what Israel does against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip—continuing daily killings, even if not at the pace it was during the daily genocidal extermination. But these are crimes, crimes that the (Islamic) nation must not remain silent about. And the American side is complicit in this; they kill journalists, they kill citizens, they kill those working in humanitarian fields, as if it were a normal issue. These are clear crimes, clear attacks, violations of everything—treaties, laws, ethics, values, and everything.
The enemy’s aggression against the Lebanese people continues. It has failed to honor its agreements, even those guaranteed by the US. It has completely disregarded guarantees concerning South Lebanon and didn’t retreat its forces, and persists in its violations—killing Lebanese civilians and committing countless transgressions. It wages attacks in Syria as well, invading, expanding, and launching relentless airstrikes—40 raids in a single night just days ago! Across many regions, it destroys, kills, occupies, and expands in a blatant display of aggression.
These crimes are flagrant violations with no justification whatsoever, yet much of the world remains silent. This silence only confirms what we have long stated: The US., alongside Israel, seeks to impose a doctrine of domination over our (Islamic) Nation and our peoples. This, by God, is their ultimate objective. They seek absolute freedom in their aggression and crimes—to kill, destroy, occupy, and do as they please without facing any response or serious opposition. This is an extremely dangerous matter, and accepting it carries profound consequences.
If silence were effective, if alternative approaches that refrain from taking a stance against American and Israeli tyranny and aggression had worked, it would have succeeded in Syria. The stance of the groups in Syria is clear: they confirm in all clarity that they do not consider Israel an enemy and will take no action against it. They refuse to respond in any way. It has even been mandated in media circles that the term “Israeli enemy” should not be used in reporting. Yet, this approach has failed. It did not work to declare, “We are not hostile, we will not respond, we are not targeting you.” Reality proves their commitment to this stance. They refuse to adopt any position against Israel, they don’t retaliate (nor condemn). They do not want conflict, confrontation, or any kind of problem. Their only request is that Israel stops its occupation of Syria—not as a firm position, but merely as a plea. They appeal, they beg, they turn to other nations and to the Americans, but to no avail.
Meanwhile, Israel expands its occupation, consolidates its control, and continues to destroy Syria’s resources. It tightens its grip on the territories it has seized in southern Syria—coveting three provinces: Quneitra, large areas of Daraa, and Sweida. It extends its reach to the outskirts of Damascus, nearing the capital itself. There is no justification for this in Syria—no ties to Iran, as the stance of these groups toward Iran is well known. They openly declare Iran as the enemy, not Israel. They have no issue with normalization (with Israel). Yet, none of these strategies have succeeded.
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has made its position clear. The agreements it signed with Israel are well-documented. Yet, Israel disregards them entirely, fails to honor any commitments, openly expresses its ambitions, and continues its daily crimes against the Palestinian people in the West Bank. This confirms an undeniable truth: a firm and deterrent stance against Israel is necessary to deter it.
We are not in a futile position; we are in an essential, just, and moral position—one rooted in humanitarian, ethical, and religious obligations. The American agenda in the region is clear: the total subjugation of this land to Israel and the imposition of an equation of permissiveness. Neither of these can ever be accepted. We will never accept the subjugation of this region to Israel, nor will we accept the normalization of permissiveness—neither in our country nor anywhere else. To accept this is to betray the principles of Islam. To accept it is humiliation. And God says: “To God belongs all honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.” (Quranic verse)
Submission does not protect the Ummah from killing, occupation, or oppression. It does not shield them from the dangers posed by America and Israel. On the contrary, it enables these enemies to implement their agendas and carry out their aggressive and destructive plans against our Umma.
Our position is one of honor and righteousness—a response to God’s command and a fulfillment of our faith-based, humanitarian, and moral duties. It is inner and authentic, and not dictated by any external force, nor is it an extension of any foreign agenda. Our alliance, cooperation, and coordination with the free people of our (Islamic) Nation within the Axis of Resistance are part of our collective duty as an Umma.
If some fulfill their obligations, it does not mean they are acting on behalf of others, nor does it imply subordination of one group to another. It is a shared responsibility, a duty upon all. Those who fail to uphold this responsibility—that is their choice. But as for us, our stance is in the most noble cause, an honorable position that brings dignity before God, and an essential duty.
We stand against American and Israeli tyranny. We stand against their crimes and their aggression. We are the continuation of the great march of Islam, led by the Messenger of God—may peace and blessings be upon him and his family.
As we commemorate the anniversary of the Great Battle of Badr on the seventeenth of the blessed month of Ramadan, we recall how the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) advanced with divine permission and guidance. As the Almighty says:
“Permission is given to those who fight because they have been wronged, and indeed, God is capable of granting them victory.”
And as He says:
“Just as thy Lord brought thee out of thy home in truth, though a party of the Believers were unwilling, disputing with thee concerning the truth after it had become manifest, as if they were being driven to death while they looked on.”
With unwavering faith, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) rose in the Battle of Badr against tyranny, confronting the forces of oppression. At that time, the Quraysh embodied tyranny—through their hostility, aggression, ignorance, injustice, and enmity toward Islam and the Muslims.
Today, the front of tyranny has changed, but its essence remains the same. In this era, it is America and Israel—an alliance of evil, disbelief, injustice, and criminality, waging war against Islam and Muslims. Is there any doubt about this? Who else inflicts upon the Ummah what they do? Their objectives are evident, their crimes undeniable, their ambitions exposed, and their Zionist project—aggressive, destructive, and criminal—laid bare for all to see. They are the front of disbelief in our time.
We stand in defiance of this oppression, of this aggression, of the systematic criminality targeting our lands and our Ummah. We move forward in continuation of Islam’s righteous struggle, following the example of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family). He marched forward with only a few in number and limited provisions, yet he relied upon God. He advanced with faith, and those who followed him did so with conviction, responding to the call of belief, placing their trust in God, and in His true promise.
God granted them a decisive victory at Badr—a victory that marked a turning point, distinguishing it from the battles before and after. It ushered in a new era—an era of honor, triumph, and strength for Islam and the Muslims. It was a victory that established truth through both struggle and steadfastness in the field of battle. And we are the continuation of that movement, just as the Ansar (Helpers) stood with the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) when he first consulted them: their words echoed faith, loyalty, courage, honor, and unwavering resolve. This spirit was demonstrated by their stance and jihad in the path of God.
Our dear people follow in the footsteps of those mujahideen ancestors who bore the banner of Islam against tyranny—whether the tyranny of Quraysh or the tyranny of the global oppressors of their time. We are patient in the face of war, and firm in the encounter with the enemy. I swear by God, O Messenger of God, we will not say to you as the Children of Israel said to Moses: ‘Go, you and your Lord, and fight while we remain behind.’ Rather, we say: ‘Go, you and your Lord, and we shall fight alongside you.’”
Our model is the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), who never remained silent in the face of oppression, nor did he submit. So how can it be acceptable to God that the Ummah of Islam—the nation of two billion Muslims—the Arab world with its 300 million people—chooses silence, surrender, and inaction? Can entire countries and peoples resign themselves to this collective choice? This is nothing less than suicide for the Ummah, invoking the wrath of God and empowering its enemies.
Surrender is not an option for a great Ummah. It is not permissible in the religion of God. The Messenger of Allah, whom God described:
“Indeed, in the Messenger of God, you have an excellent example for those who hope in God and the Last Day and remember God often,”
rose with just 300 mujahideen—perhaps a few more or less, depending on different narrations. Yet with this small force, he carried the banner of Islam and advanced in the path of God.
The dangers of submission are immense. The threats facing our Ummah today demand serious action—reliance on God, trust in Him, and unwavering faith in His promise.
We, the Yemeni people, refuse to bow to the enemy or allow them to achieve their aggressive objectives. We march forward, relying on God. We have the greatest source of strength—God Almighty. We trust in Him and place our reliance upon Him. Our choices and decisions are rooted in our faith, our dignity—both as Muslims and as human beings. We stand firm, confronting oppression and aggression with broad and decisive action.
Therefore, I call upon our dear people to take to the streets tomorrow by the millions, on the anniversary of the Great Battle of Badr, in the capital, Sana’a, and across the provinces, in a massive show of solidarity—to reaffirm their steadfastness, their just stance, their faith-driven commitment, and their jihadist resolve in support of the Palestinian people and in confronting American aggression.
The specific time and locations will be determined by the organizing committee and its branches, God willing. However, what truly matters is that the popular turnout is vast—an expression of unwavering determination and deep-rooted belonging on this significant occasion. Because our stance is a continuation of that historic position. Our role model is the Messenger of God. Just as our fathers and grandfathers stood with loyalty, faith, perseverance, dignity, and sincerity alongside him in the Great Battle of Badr and in other struggles against the tyranny of the first Jahiliyya (Age of Ignorance), we, too, move forward as an extension of that legacy—carrying the banner of the Messenger of God, of Islam, upholding the march of Islam, embodying the position of Islam, and engaging in jihad for the sake of God in our time, in this stage of history.
We will never accept the violation of this Ummah, nor will we allow our country or others to be subjugated by the Israelis. We will not remain silent in the face of the arrogance, tyranny, aggression, and crimes of the Israeli and American enemies.
I urge you, dear people—you who are known for your loyalty, who have marched in honor for over 15 months in a manner unmatched anywhere in the world—to make tomorrow’s gathering vast and powerful, a testament to your faith, your unwavering loyalty, your dignity, your resilience, and your steadfastness, all of which stem from your deep belief and your response to God Almighty. You are the true extension of this Ummah, standing firm amidst a sea of submission, weakness, and surrender.
You are the heirs of the authentic Islamic path, the bearers of Islam’s banner, and the upholders of the just stance that God Almighty commands—a stance that brings goodness, honor and adheres to divine law.
Rest assured, dear people, that no matter how circumstances evolve, our position remains strong and unshaken, thanks to our reliance on God. With our trust in Him and our accumulated experience in confronting this enemy—its aggression, its military tactics—we stand firm, fully dependent on God Almighty, and absolutely confident in His promise.
He is the One who says: “If God grants you victory, none can overcome you.” He is the One who says: “If you support God, He will support you and make your steps firm.” We trust in Him, for He never breaks His promise. “He is the best of helpers.” “Sufficient is Allah for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.” There is no power and no strength except with the Most High, the Almighty.
We ask God, the Almighty, to grant us His victory against the tyrants, criminals and oppressors of our time—America, Israel, and those allied with them—to have mercy on our righteous martyrs, to heal our wounded, and to grant freedom to our prisoners. Indeed, He is the One who hears all prayers.
May God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
Source: Al-Araby TV
Translation: resistancenews.org
Russia urges US to halt Yemen aggression, engage in dialogue
Press TV – March 16, 2025
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called for all parties to refrain from “using force” in Yemen and engage in “political dialogue.”
“In response to argumentation put forward by American representatives, Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue so as to find a solution that would prevent further bloodshed,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.
Moscow said that Rubio informed Lavrov about Washington’s decision to launch strikes against Yemen in a call that came after the two countries have relaunched dialogue since US President Donald Trump took office.
On Saturday, Trump announced on his X account that he had ordered the US military to launch “decisive and powerful military action” against Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement.
The US attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, have killed 31 people and wounded 101, “most of whom were children and women,” spokesperson for Yemen’s Ministry of Health, Anis al-Asbahi, posted on X.
Yemen has launched over 100 attacks targeting Israeli-bound ships since November 2023 in response to the Zionist regime’s genocidal war on Gaza, inflicting significant damage on Israel’s already strained economy and forcing the US military to engage in an expensive campaign to intercept missiles and drones, rapidly depleting US air defense stockpiles.
The recent US airstrikes came a few days after Yemen said it would resume retaliatory operations against Israeli vessels sailing off Yemen in response to the regime’s latest blockade on Gaza.
Earlier this month, the Israeli regime halted all aid coming into the Gaza Strip after it abruptly rejected entering the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas as agreed before.
Israel aims to pressure Hamas into accepting a revision of the ceasefire agreement, allowing for the release of more Israeli captives without the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip.
Yemen resumes naval blockade against Israeli ships in support of Gaza
Al Mayadeen | March 11, 2025
The Yemeni Armed Forces announced the resumption of their naval blockade on all Israeli ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
Sanaa’s decision comes after the expiration of the deadline set by Ansar Allah leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi for mediators to pressure the Israeli occupation into reopening Gaza’s border crossings and allowing humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Yemeni Armed Forces declared the immediate enforcement of the blockade, warning that any Israeli vessel attempting to breach the restriction would be targeted within the designated operational zones.
The military stressed that the blockade would remain in place until the Israeli occupation complies with the demand to reopen Gaza’s border crossings and facilitate the entry of essential food and medical supplies.
The statement reaffirmed Yemen’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and reiterated its commitment to standing alongside the Palestinian resistance.
Famine looming over Gaza
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem warned Tuesday that Gaza is facing the early stages of a real famine due to the Israeli occupation’s continued blockade on the entry of food supplies for the tenth consecutive day. He stressed that the humanitarian situation has been dire since the beginning of the Israeli aggression.
In a statement, Qassem highlighted the severe food crisis gripping the besieged enclave, where essential supplies are running out under the ongoing blockade. He noted that the closure of border crossings constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, which stipulates the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid.
Hamas condemned the Israeli occupation’s actions, calling the blockade a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
The movement described it as a flagrant war crime and collective punishment against civilians, warning that the siege has led to soaring food prices and a severe shortage of medical supplies amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe.
The group also pointed out that the closure of crossings was hindering recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The ban on the entry of heavy equipment has obstructed relief teams from carrying out their duties.
Yemen pledges to resume operations
Previously, Sayyed al-Houthi said Sanaa was continuously monitoring and observing developments in Gaza amid the Israeli occupation’s complete evasion of its commitments to the ceasefire agreement.
In a late February speech, Sayyed al-Houthi also revealed that Yemen was prepared to intervene militarily had Trump carried out his threat to restart the war on Gaza if Hamas did not release the Israeli captives.
“Yemen remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people and Resistance factions in confronting Israel’s attempts to evade the ceasefire agreement and its second phase,” al-Houthi emphasized, warning that if the war is reignited in Gaza, “the entire Zionist entity, starting with occupied Yafa, will come under fire,” amid the Yemeni support and military intervention.
Sayyed al-Houthi reiterated his stance on Friday, giving mediators a four-day deadline to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning that if the Israeli occupation continues to block aid deliveries, naval operations against Israeli-linked vessels will resume.
Al-Houthi accused the Israeli occupation of delaying its commitments under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, particularly concerning humanitarian provisions. He stated that while Hamas had fully honored its obligations, the occupation had failed to uphold its side of the deal.
“The humanitarian aspect of the agreement includes clear obligations with guarantees from mediators, yet Israel is trying to evade them,” he said.
Al-Houthi also condemned intensified Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds, highlighting the role of Israeli settlers in escalating violence against Palestinians. He criticized US support for the Israeli occupation under President Donald Trump, saying Washington’s backing had emboldened the regime’s policies of displacement and aggression against Palestinians.
Yemen gives Israel four-day ultimatum to stop blocking Gaza aid
The Cradle | March 8, 2025
The leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, announced on 7 March a four-day grace period for Israel to resume ceasefire talks and lift its blockade on humanitarian aid for Gaza, threatening to resume Sanaa’s naval operations against Israeli-linked ships.
“We meet the siege with a siege,” Houthi emphasized, adding that Yemen “cannot stand by and watch the Israeli enemy’s aggressive approach in starving the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
“We do not just issue statements, but we can support the Palestinians in several areas,” the Ansarallah leader said, pointing out that “in the course of implementing the ceasefire in Gaza, it was clear that the Israeli enemy was procrastinating in fulfilling its obligations, especially those related to the humanitarian file.
The Ansarallah-led Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) ceased military operations in support of Palestine following the start of a US-sponsored ceasefire in Gaza earlier this year. Since November 2023, the YAF repeatedly targeted US, UK, and Israeli-linked commercial ships and western warships in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Sanaa’s efforts to stop the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza prompted an illegal war initiated by Washington and London, resulting in hundreds of airstrikes in the Arab world’s poorest nation.
Despite the western onslaught, the YAF were undeterred in their military campaign and forced several US aircraft carriers and European warships out of the Red Sea. The country has also downed 15 US MQ-9 Reaper drones and recently fired its air defenses on a US F-16 jet.
A year ago, the former US Special Envoy for Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, admitted that “there is no military solution” for Yemen.
“I don’t think people really understand just kind of how deadly serious it is what we’re doing and how under threat the ships continue to be,” Commander Eric Blomberg with the USS Laboon told US media last year.
Houthi’s warning comes almost a week after Israel reimposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid shipments for Gaza after obstructing the ceasefire agreement from moving forward by demanding an extension of the first phase.
Hamas has rejected any extension of phase one and is demanding strict adherence to the agreement and international pressure on Israel.
“The resumption of war on Gaza will be met with the entire [Israeli] enemy entity coming under fire … If the war returns to Gaza, we will intervene with support through various military means,” Houthi warned on Sunday.
Senior Ansar Allah official on why Yemen fought for Gaza
The Grayzone | February 9, 2025
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, welcome back to the Gray Zone. The Gaza ceasefire has finally been achieved after 15 months of gruesome fighting. And Western commentators, many of them referred to Ansar Allah as mad or insane for its refusal to back down in the face of U.S. and U.K. and Israeli airstrikes.
And to end its blockade of the Red Sea, its naval blockade. Why was Ansar Allah willing to risk so much to attempt to force a ceasefire in Gaza? And was the price worth it?
In the name of God, the most merciful, we in the Ansarullah movement act based on religious and moral principles, not agendas or self-interest.
That is why we were prepared to make every sacrifice to defend the oppressed in Gaza. We successfully pressured the US and the Zionist entity, ultimately leading to a ceasefire. Our operations became the most significant leverage for the Palestinian resistance. Without them, I feared the Palestinian people would have suffered even greater losses and the war would still be ongoing today. Yemen has endured immense suffering due to American and British policies. The price we paid was heavy, but it is insignificant compared to our duty toward Hamza. Our ultimate goal is to help establish a global order based on justice for all peoples of the world.
Many in the Gaza Strip, after the ceasefire was declared, profusely thanked Ansar Allah and the people of Yemen. That was the first party that they thanked, as well as Abu Abaydah, the spokesman for the Al Qasem Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas. What message do you want to send back to them?
We consider what we did a moral, religious and humanitarian act. We consider the Palestinian people the first line of defense for the Arab and Muslim nations, as well as the nations of all those who are oppressed given the sacrifices they have made in the pursuit of justice.
For that reason, they are more deserving of gratitude than we are. They are confronting a global alliance of oppression and injustice.
Israel lobby-connected think tank, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said last October that the Houthis are stronger, more technically proficient, and more prominent members of the axis of resistance than they were at the war’s outset. At the same time, the U.S. government, Tel Aviv, Even Riyadh, Doha have said that the axis of resistance as a whole has been significantly weakened by Israeli attacks. So what is your message to them? Is the axis of resistance still intact? What’s your message to those who say it’s been defeated?
Al-Khan al-Sahyuni wa-Hulafaa.
The Zionist entity and its allies failed to achieve their objectives. The Hamas movement not only endures, but has grown more popular than ever. Not just in Palestine, but across the Arab and Muslim world. Additionally, global awareness has increased significantly. The Zionist entity is built on lies and deception and its defeat in the arena of public opinion is a major blow. Yemen’s military operations inflicted significant costs on the US and its allies by draining financial resources, undermining the security of the entity and weakening the credibility of their military presence in the region. the american navy despite its overwhelming strength was forced to yield to us as a result the losses suffered by global zionism and its allies far outweigh those of the axis of resistance while syria was a significant loss for the axis the zionist alliance has suffered even more especially in the battle of global awareness.
Well, we’ll get to the issue of Syria, but first I want to ask you, what did you do when Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced his intention, the intention of the Israeli military, to assassinate the leadership of Ansar Allah, including Abdul Malik al-Houthi and yourself? You appeared on a public Israeli kill list.
What did you do and do you believe Israel still has the intention to assassinate you and other leaders of Ansar Allah?
We have made it clear to the US and the Zionist entity that we are ready for modernism. Our message has also been clear that any targeting of leadership in Yemen will be met in an equal retaliation, whether that be in the US, the UK or in the entity. We are serious.
If they want this war to become one of assassinated leaders, we are ready. We would advise them to focus on maintaining the ceasefire rather than further escalation of the war. An escalated war and a war of assassinations will not go in their favor. We are ready for all options. The ball is in their court.
The new U.S. President Donald Trump is clearly driven by rabid Zionist forces.
Some of the most extreme forces on the political spectrum in Israel support Donald Trump. which leaves open the possibility of a U.S. war with Iran, which has been Netanyahu’s top objective. Now, if that happens, what will Ansar Allah do? Will you intervene, for example, by opening a front against American Gulf interests, attacking oil facilities, which has been put on the table by other members of the Axis?
First, we are focused on achieving stability in the region. We want peace for the region and the whole world. We will never start a war. We do not believe in pre-emptive strikes even if we know that the Trump administration will escalate. That said, in the case that one member of the Axis is targeted, we will not leave them alone and we will support them exactly like we supported our brothers in Gaza. We consider that the American foreign policy and that of its allies aims to break each member of the resistance individually.
We won’t let that happen. Are you concerned after the devastation of the war and with a new president in Washington, that the plans for the Abraham Accords and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states could go ahead, could be reignited. And what will be the consequences for Ansar Allah if this takes place and what would you do to prevent it?
We are always advising Arab and Muslim nations not to normalize or design this entity, as this will not be in their own interest. This goes against their duties towards their people in Gaza, especially considering that the Zionist entity is backed by powerful and rich countries. But if the Saudis and the Emiratis continue with further normalization,
we send them nothing but the advice. We will never escalate militarily against them unless they attack us first.
You had warned that Syria was the weakest link in the axis of resistance. How damaging to the axis was the loss of Syria to Mohammad al-Jolani’s NATO-backed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces? And why do you think the Syrian government folded so quickly along with its Iranian and Russian allies?
Yes, I had mentioned that Syria was the weakest link. I also advised that the Syrian government should have opened a front against the Zionist entity. That would have made Syria the strongest link. But sadly, the Syrian government made the wrong calculations. The enemies of Syria and the enemies of the resistance were able to focus their efforts on Syria, while the rest of the Axis was preoccupied with its engagements with the United States, the United Kingdom and the Zionist entity. The Syrian army was also struck on many occasions, strikes that went without retaliation, which I believe weakened morale on the army. Also, we can’t forget the massive support that Al Jawlani’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham received from the United States and its allies, and especially Turkey. Al Jolani’s people learned some lessons from their handlers and they pretended to offer amnesty to all their former rivals in Syria. This eased their consolidation of power, but now we are seeing that these initial actions were fake and those who believed them are paying the price.
What does it mean for the Axis to lose an ally like Syria? Does it fundamentally cripple Hezbollah because it loses the land bridge with Iran? Where does the Axis stand today without Syria?
The Syrian front was an important one for the Axis for two reasons. The first, because it was an important path for delivering supplies and arms to the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements. And the second, because it was the last sovereign Arab nation that shared their border with Palestine. No such state exists any longer. Lebanon’s government is not sovereign. Therefore, the loss of Syria cannot be understated.
Still, we must also remember that Syria had become a huge burden on the Axis in the last years. Syria’s loss is not the end of the Axis. The Axis will adjust to this loss. The losses of the Axis, as large as they were, are minute in comparison to the losses of the Americans and their allies.
More close to home in Yemen, Ansar Allah unilaterally released 153 war detainees, detainees from the Yemeni Civil War, in a good faith gesture to your adversaries in the south. This took place obviously in the wake of the ceasefire. So what message are you trying to send to southern Yemen and to the quote-unquote international community?
Our decision to unilaterally release the hostages had nothing to do with Gaza or the ceasefire. In the past, we have done dozens of similar unilateral overtures as a message to all that we aim to turn the page on the practice of hostage-taking on both sides. However, it is evident that our internal opponents did not return the favor.
At the end of the day, we would not have any of their hostages if they did not have any of ours. We strive to turn the page on the practice.
And southern Yemen state media is calling for the purification of the country from the sectarian Houthi militia. They’re using this sort of language. They’re accusing you of all sorts of crimes, of using human shields, pointing fingers. What’s your response to the… to these accusations? And have you considered actually just seceding and declaring independence given the seeming intransigence?
The mercenary leadership in southern Yemen no longer holds a popular mandate, nor does it represent the Yemeni people. They represent our oppressors in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Everyone knows that the Saudis and their allies picked this mercenary government that is represented by Rashad Al Alimi and his leadership council.
They do not in any way represent the interests of the Yemeni people. Therefore, we are not surprised that this is their stance. For us, we still advocate for the unification of Yemen and a political solution that deals with the territorial and political concerns of all parties.
We are open to all solutions that address the interests of all the Yemeni governorates including the southern ones. And we must emphasize that the overwhelming majority of the Yemenis from the southern and eastern governorates are against secession. They equally desire the reunification of the country, especially after what they witnessed in terms of abuses from the militias that are supported from the outside, especially the militias that are controlled by the United Arab Emirates.
The forces of imperialism from Washington to Tel Aviv to the Wahhabi Gulf states are bringing enormous amounts of power down on Ansarallah and Yemen, seeking to dislodge you from power. And these are very powerful forces. Have you considered or undergone any process to reach out to China or Russia or any
other BRIC states to offset the impact of this imperial pressure?
Radical Islamic ideology exists in the world, but it is limited and weak. The problem is that the United Kingdom and the United States supported these radical movements, and on top of them, the Wahhabi movement, that considered all other Muslims infidels. The United Kingdom and then the United States benefited from these radicals.
They weaponized them against their opponents in the Muslim world and the rest of the globe. These radical forces were weaponized against the leftist movements in the Arab world. and the movements of Arab nationalism.
And most recently, they have been weaponized against the members of the axis of resistance in the name of a Sunni versus Shia sectarian war. They were also weaponized against countries that have stood by the Palestinian people historically, such as the USSR, as represented by Russia, and China, and even India.
We have sadly now lost India and its support in the struggle, and it is now one of the strongest allies of the United States and the Zionist entity. The victims of America and her politics are numerous. They include the Russians and the Chinese. Of course, there must be a form of an alliance between them and all the other victims of the United States around the globe, an alliance that could help each withstand the threats, external or internal, imposed by the United States. The United States today is the force that controls radicalism, whether that be by ISIS or Al-Qaeda.
Of course, it controls them indirectly through its Saudi and other Gulf puppets. Still, we emphasize that any alliance between said allies must be built on a strong foundation of humanitarian and ethical grounds. This is a sacred priority for us. And as I mentioned before, according to our military doctrine, we only engage in defensive military action, or military action to support the oppressed. We do not believe in preventative war. There are many shared interests that we can unite for with other nations of the resistance. Still, there are many shared interests that we can unite under with all the other nations that are equally suffering from American policies.
And finally, I asked you this question during our last interview, which took place at a different time in the midst of war. What is your message to the American people at the dawn of the second Trump administration?
My message to the American people and the people of the West in general is that every civilization is built on a set of foundational pillars. And when a civilization loses these pillars, it crumbles. Today, Western civilization is dangerously close to collapse due to its abandonment of many of its moral and ethical foundational values.
The ethical and moral values of the West seem to exclude the Palestinians and deprive them of their rights while excusing all the crimes of the Israelis and offering them no accountability. This is a massive problem for the Western mentality. Also, they must recognize that the peace that will come by way of Trump and his Abraham Accords is not a real peace, but a submission. Every time the West speaks of stability and security, they mean security and stability only for them and their people. We see how the Zionist entity is aiming to achieve a ceasefire for only one side. They want to keep targeting Gaza, the south of Lebanon, and the West Bank with impunity and without a response. That’s why we must all re-examine our moral and humanitarian ideology and worldview. Our ideologies must be built on the foundation that everyone deserves peace, everyone deserves freedom, and everyone deserves human rights. Not human rights, freedom, peace, for some, at the expense of others.
Okay, well, Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, spokesman for Ansar Allah, thank you for joining us again at the Grey Zone. Best of luck.
Thank you, Max, for all that you do in this fight for the rights of the Palestinian people. We count on voices like yours to achieve real change in the world, in America and in the West.
Absolutely. And I look forward to talking again with you.
Houthis Threaten to Block US Ships in Retaliation for Terrorist Designation
Sputnik – 25.01.2025
Yemeni movement Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, is considering a ban on US ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the resumption of full-scale military operations in Yemen as retaliatory measures for the US’s designation of the movement as a foreign terrorist organization, a source in the movement told Sputnik.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an order launching the process of designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. On Thursday, the Houthis said that this decision was directed against the entire people of Yemen and was revenge for Yemen’s “noble” position in supporting the Palestinians.
“The movement is considering taking measures against America, including imposing a ban on the passage of US ships through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea,” the source said.
The Houthis would also bar the passage of ships from any country that follows the US example of listing the movement as a terrorist organization, the source added.
One of the possible measures that the movement could take is “countering any military escalation that the US may take in response to the ban on the passage of its ships, as well as ending the truce in Yemen and resuming hostilities on all fronts,” the source said.
Houthi: Israel ‘failed miserably’ in onslaught on Gaza Strip
Press TV – January 16, 2025
The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement says Israel “failed miserably” in the Gaza Strip, and that the US and the Tel Aviv regime were forced to accept the ceasefire agreement with Hamas after committing horrific crimes for months.
“The announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is an important development. The Israeli enemy and the US were forced to agree to the deal after months of horrendous atrocities,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Thursday evening.
“The Israeli enemy, with full American complicity, continued its efforts to exterminate the Palestinians in Gaza, committing more than 4,050 massacres,” the Ansarullah chief said.
Houthi said the Israeli military indiscriminately targeted all Palestinians in Gaza, attacking all sections of the society in a barbaric manner.
“The Israeli enemy subjected prisoners and captives to the most heinous forms of torture, violating human dignity. The plight of Gaza marks a gross injustice that can neither be denied nor ignored.
“The steadfastness of resistance fighters in Gaza, under the most challenging circumstances and with the most basic means, is truly praiseworthy,” Houthi stated.
The Ansarullah leader emphasized that the Israeli army failed in Gaza despite possessing sophisticated weapons and extensive intelligence operations aimed at ending the resistance front and eliminating all its fighters.
“The Israeli enemy failed in Gaza even though it employed all tactics to decisively win the battle, with full US support. The Palestinians in Gaza stood firm despite being subjected to daily extermination and all forms of terror that many other nations cannot endure.”
The Ansarullah leader said the Americans had no option but to accept an agreement after a major failure.
Many Israeli leaders, media figures, and research centers were in a state of despair and frustration as well, he said.
“The Israeli enemy failed to achieve any of its declared objectives, and dismally could not release its captives without a prisoner exchange deal. It also failed to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
“What the Israeli enemy achieved in Gaza is an enormous record of unprecedented crimes within a limited expanse of land,” Houthi pointed out.
He also noted that the Palestinian nation was not protected by international organizations, which represent themselves as so-called advocates of justice and human rights.
“The United Nations was mocked and ridiculed by Israelis, with criminal [Benjamin] Netanyahu at its very platform. The world body, however, took no concrete action against the Israeli enemy.
“At the very least, the UN should have rinsed out the deep shame of recognizing Israel and granting it membership. The international community did not intervene to impose a no-fly zone over occupied Palestinian terrorists and establish safe zones, as is the case with other regions,” he said.
Houthi criticized Arab governments for their inaction, as well as their abject failure to politically and economically boycott the Zionist regime and support the Palestinian nation.
Elsewhere in his speech, Houthi stated that Yemeni forces have conducted operations to support Gaza under very difficult conditions, emphasizing that such strikes have significantly affected Israel.
“We carried out 1,255 operations involving ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, drones as well as unmanned underwater vehicles. We worked diligently to do everything possible in support of Gaza, continuously developing our capabilities and escalating our operations,” he said.
Houthi stressed that the US, from the onset of the Gaza genocidal war, sought to provide full protection to Israel, threatening regional countries against taking any action in support of Palestinians.
“The US deployed its naval fleets and provided military and technological protection, intercepting any attacks targeting the Israeli-occupied lands. Certain regimes even collaborated with the US in intercepting missiles and drones launched towards the occupied lands.
“American aircraft carriers and warships initially intercepted some missiles; but now they can barely shoot them down and often resort to retreat,” the Ansarullah leader said.
Houti emphasized that Yemen will continue its pro-Palestinian military operations in case the Israeli enemy insists on its genocidal campaign and reneges on implementing the ceasefire agreement.
He said a total of 106 Yemenis have been killed and another 328 wounded in the course of aggression carried out by the US, Britain and Israel against Yemen.
The Ansarullah leader finally called upon all Yemeni people to participate in mass pro-Palestinian rallies across the country on Friday, reaffirming their unflinching support for Palestinians to the entire world.
Top Trump Official Claims Iran Is the Problem in the Middle East, Vows Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Protesters
By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | January 6, 2025
The incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said the Trump administration would target Iran in the Middle East and crack down on pro-Palestian protesters in the US to support Israel.
In an interview with Mark Levin, Waltz explained the “philosophy” of the incoming administration for the Middle East. “The problems in the Middle East by and large originate from Tehran, not from Tel Aviv. We’re going to stand by and support our greatest ally in the Middle East,” he said. “We’re aligned from a national security, intelligence and values standpoint.”
Waltz described this policy as instituting a “complete philosophical, wholesale national security shift.”
“We’re going to align with our ally Israel, we’re going to realign the common interests of the Gulf Arab states with Israel in opposing Iran’s aggression, we’re going to reinstate maximum pressure, we’re going to stop them from selling their illegal oil that has been funding terrorism,” he said. Adding that the US military is “getting worn out shooting missile after missile from this ragtag bunch of Houthis. We’re going to get that under control.”
President Joe Biden has provided Israel with $22 billion in military aid since the October 7 attack. On Friday, Axios reported that Biden was planning to approve a final $8 billion arms sale to Israel. The current White House has also protected Tel Aviv at the UN Security Council and fought a war against the Houthis in Yemen to defend Israel.
Additionally, the Biden administration increased the Trump-era sanctions on Iran and refused to return to the Obama-era nuclear agreement. The White House deployed its most advanced air defense systems to Israel to protect it from a potential Iranian missile attack.
Still, Republicans in Washington and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have attacked Biden for not providing Israel with enough support. The current administration has pushed Tel Aviv to allow most aid into Gaza.
However, Tel Aviv has largely defied Washington’s requests to allow more aid into Gaza. In December aid shipments sunk to 71 trucks per day, far below the number, 500, aid agencies say is needed to prevent deaths of deprivation in Gaza. Gazan children have begun to freeze to death at night as their families shelter in tents.
CNN reports that the incoming administration will be more amenable to Israel’s policies of further restricting aid shipments to Gaza and will further cut deliveries once Trump returns to office.
Waltz went on to say the Trump administration would crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters. The US government will “look at mosques, individuals, universities, professors – you name it – that post a threat to the United States and are radicalizing individuals to harm the United States.” He continued referring to pro-Palestinian campus protesters, people “here on a student visa, with the privilege to study in our universities – you don’t get to protest and radicalize. You’re going to go back home real fast.”
Some of Trump’s America First supporters may view doubling down on US support for Israel as a violation of that policy. Waltz said he believes Trump will be convinced to follow through on the policy points he explained to Levin.
Deals, such as expanding the Abraham Accords, is “what gets President Trump so excited and that’s what makes all of these historic disagreements that have perpetuated for decades, if not centuries, smaller and smaller,” he explained.
On Monday, Trump made remarks to radio host Hugh Hewitt that would suggest Waltz is correct. “Well, I’m the best friend that Israel ever had. You look at what happened with all of the things that I’ve gotten, including Jerusalem being the capital, the embassy getting built,” he stated, adding the provision of military aid to Israel would be “uninterrupted” during his administration.
Yemeni air defenses intercept, shoot down another US MQ-9 Reaper drone
Press TV – January 1, 2025
Yemeni air defense units have successfully intercepted and shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was conducting hostile activities in the airspace over the country’s west-central province of Ma’rib.
The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), Brigadier General Yahya Saree, made the announcement in a televised statement on Wednesday.
He stated that the American aircraft was downed with a homegrown Yemeni surface-to-air missile, as it was carrying out a reconnaissance drone operation above the area.
Back on December 28, Saree said Yemeni forces had intercepted and shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the central province of al-Bayda.
Saree said in a televised statement at the time that the unmanned aerial vehicle was targeted with a locally-made surface-to-air missile.
Yemenis have been hitting Israeli and American targets in support of Palestinians in Gaza since the regime launched its devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, and in response to the American-British aggression on their homeland.
Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement has been also targeting ships linked to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom to force an end to the Tel Aviv regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.
The operations have effectively shut down the Eilat port south of the occupied territories, causing significant economic setbacks for the Israelis.
The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they will not stop their attacks until Israel’s ground and aerial offensives in Gaza end.
Israel has killed at least 45,541 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured another 108,338 individuals in Gaza since the onset of the war.
Numerous US-British airstrikes target Yemeni capital Sanaa
Al Mayadeen | December 31, 2024
A US-British aggression targeted Tuesday the capital, Sanaa, amid continuous airstrikes, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Yemen reported.
Our correspondent indicated that the US-British airstrikes targeted the September 21st Park, located in the northwestern part of Sanaa, which previously housed the First Armored Division.
He also noted that the aggression targeted, with eight airstrikes, a complex that includes the Ministry of Defense and military administrative offices in the Bab al-Yemen area in central Sanaa, as well as the May 22nd Military Industrial Complex in the al-Nahda neighborhood, northwest of Sanaa.
The spokesman for the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Mohammad Abdelsalam, pointed out that the aggression against Yemen represents “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of an independent state” and comes in support of “Israel”.
Abdelsalam affirmed that “Yemen will continue to defend itself against any aggression and remains steadfast in supporting Gaza.”
The latest aggression comes a couple of hours after the spokesperson of the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the YAF missile force carried out two top-tier military operations against Israeli targets.
The first targeted Ben Gurion Airport in the city of Yafa (Tel Aviv) in occupied Palestine using a hypersonic ballistic missile of the Palestine-2 type, Saree said, adding that the second operation targeted a power station in southern occupied al-Quds with a Zulfiqar-type ballistic missile.
According to the spokesperson, both missiles successfully hit their targets.
Saree pointed out that the two operations coincided with a joint operation conducted by the YAF’s naval, missile, and UAV forces, targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman with a large number of drones and cruise missiles, while US forces were preparing to launch a major aerial attack against Yemen.
He confirmed that the operation successfully achieved its objectives, thwarting the planned American aerial assault on Yemen.
Elsewhere, Saree reiterated that the operations of the YAF will only cease with the cessation of the Israeli aggression against Gaza and the lifting of the blockade imposed on the Palestinian strip.
US, British jets rain fire on Yemeni capital in new late night attack
The Cradle | December 28, 2024
US and UK warplanes launched a new round of airstrikes on the Yemeni capital late on 27 December, targeting the 21 September park in the Maeen district of Sanaa, according to Yemen’s Al-Masirah TV.
No photos or videos of the attack have been released or circulated on social media. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
The latest western aggression came one day after Israeli warplanes launched massive airstrikes on Sanaa and the coastal province of Hodeidah in retaliation for continued drone and hypersonic missile attacks by the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Earlier on Friday, hundreds of thousands of Yemenis marched through the streets of Sanaa, Saada, Hodeidah, Hajjah, and Al-Mahwit, proclaiming, “We firmly stand with Gaza, the glory… without limits and without red lines.”
Demonstrators also called on the YAF to intensify their operations in support of Palestine.
The mobilizations started soon after YAF spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed that Sanaa conducted drone and missile attacks targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, “a vital target” south of Tel Aviv, and an Israeli-linked ship in the Arabia Sea, in response to Israel’s aggressions on Yemen and Gaza.
At least six people were killed and 40 others injured when Israel bombed Sanaa International Airport, Red Sea ports, and power stations on Thursday.
“[Ansarallah] are more technologically advanced than perceived by many [and should not be] underrated,” an Israeli official told the Washington Post on Friday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
He claimed that with support from Iran, Yemen has been able to take “practical steps” in fighting a war against Israel and its close allies.
“Because it’s so cheap for them to try to get a drone or a missile every few days or weeks into Israel, they can win this,” Yoel Guzansky, a former official on Israel’s National Security Council and senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv told the US daily.
The US and UK launched an illegal war on Yemen at the start of the year, seeking to protect Israeli trade interests and shield the country from the pro-Gaza operations of the Axis of Resistance.
Yemeni operations have been ongoing since November 2023, and Sanaa has vowed not to stop until the genocide in Gaza comes to an end. The daring operations by the YAF against Israel and its allies have forced several US aircraft carriers and European warships out of West Asia.
