The Diplomat
The Houthi rebels have applauded the decision of the Government of Spain not to join the multinational coalition led by the United States to guarantee security in the Red Sea, following the group’s latest attacks against ships in the area in response to the military offensive launched by Israel against the Gaza Strip after the attacks carried out on October 7 by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The praise of the Yemeni rebels is not something that pleases the Government of Pedro Sánchez, as The Diplomat was able to verify from diplomatic sources, especially after Hamas also applauded the position of the head of the Executive, when he demanded that Israel respect humanitarian law in its offensive on Gaza.
But the truth is that Hussein al Ezi, deputy foreign minister of the authorities established by the Houthis after taking control of the capital of Yemen, Sanaa, in 2015, wrote yesterday on the social network X: “Spain to let itself be dragged by American and British lies regarding maritime navigation.”
The Houthi spokesman added that “Sanaa respects all those who respect the facts and hopes that these rational positions will continue and expand” and expressed his hope that “everyone will continue to distance themselves from the shameful positions of the United States and the United Kingdom, which threaten peace and security”.
Along these lines, the president of the Revolutionary Committee of the rebels – the interim government established by the Houthis -, Mohamed Ali al Huti, argued that “the departure of some countries that the United States had previously included in the international coalition confirms the failure of the alliance” and added that “the countries that declined to participate put their national interests before the coalition,” Europa Press reports.
Al Huti pointed out that “it is a message to those who want to continue with the position of preserving their interests instead of sacrificing them for the benefit of the occupying entity,” in reference to Israel, and affirmed that the coalition announced by Washington “to protect the Israeli ships” does not address “the security of navigation, but rather threatens it by militarizing the Red Sea.
Any danger that threatens the Suez Canal derives from this step by the United States,” highlighted the senior Houthi official through his account on X. “The United States and the countries that participate (in the coalition) have the responsibility for the consequences,” he said.
In this way, he reiterated that any “stupid operation against the Yemeni people” will cause “ships, ships and interests” of the coalition member countries “to be targeted by Yemeni missiles, aircraft and operations.” “The best way to avoid escalation and protect navigation is to stop the Israeli aggression against Gaza and lift the blockade by delivering food, medicine and other goods,” he added.
The messages from senior Houthi officials came after the Spanish Ministry of Defense stressed on Saturday that it will not participate in the ‘Guardian of Prosperity’ operation and proposed the creation of a “new and specific” European mission to achieve the “maximum effectiveness” in this objective.
The portfolio headed by Margarita Robles also noted that there is no Spanish veto on an EU mission in the Red Sea, all of this after Spain blocked the EU’s decision to modify the mandate of the naval operation ‘Atalanta’ to contribute to the mission launched by the United States.
The Houthis, backed by Iran and who have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other areas in the north and west of the country since 2014, have assured that they will continue their attacks against Israeli-flagged ships, owned by Israeli companies or going to ports. Israelis, despite the creation of this new multinational mission.
However, Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdusalam reiterated on Tuesday that the group will protect “the security of maritime routes in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf” and guaranteed that “there will be no threats to the ships of any country, exception of those linked to the enemy entity – in reference to Israel – or heading to its ports”.
‘Guardian of Prosperity’ will be under the command of the Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational alliance dedicated to defending international maritime routes, and specifically Task Force 153, established in April 2022 and operating in the Red Sea, the Strait of Bab el Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden.
