The houthis said they are prepared to intervene militarily if other countries join the United States and Israel in their war on Iran or if the Red Sea is used to launch attacks on Iran, raising the risk of a wider regional conflict. Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for the Houthis, delivered the warning in a televised speech on Friday and repeated threats to act if escalation continues. The statement highlights the group’s capacity to target key shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula.
Houthis’ Military Warning and Range
Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for the Houthis, said: “We confirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention” if any new alliances join Washington and Israel against Iran and its allies, or if the Red Sea is used for “hostile operations” against Iran. Saree added that the group would not allow the Red Sea to be used to carry out “hostile operations” against Iran or any Muslim country and warned against any further tightening of what he described as “the blockade on Yemen. “
The warning underscores the Houthis’ declared ability to strike far beyond Yemen and to disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula. The group has previously targeted vessels in the Red Sea and conducted drone and missile attacks at sea and on land, actions it said were in solidarity with Palestinians after another state launched a war on Gaza. The statement did not specify what form any new intervention would take but left “all options on the table. “
Expanding details: ceasefires, truce and past actions
The group has controlled the capital, Sanaa, and much of northwest Yemen since 2014. In May, the Houthis and the United States agreed to a truce that included a Houthi commitment to stop attacks on US shipping in the Red Sea. The group later stopped attacks on Israel and Israeli-linked shipping after a Gaza ceasefire deal. Despite those pauses, the recent televised remarks framed any renewed campaign against Iran or its allies as a trigger for direct Houthi military action.
Israel and the United States have carried out strikes in Yemen that targeted civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and the main international airport, and those strikes have caused significant casualties. The Houthi leadership has been cautious in the past, fearful of retaliation after air strikes and leadership losses, but the new statement signals a hardening posture if the wider conflict escalates.
Immediate reactions: named voice on alert
Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for the Houthis, directly framed the warning: “We confirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention. ” Saree called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran, the Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Iraq. He also warned against further tightening of what he described as “the blockade on Yemen. “
Quick context
The warning raises the prospect of a broader regional war given the group’s capacity to disrupt maritime routes and to strike targets far from Yemen’s borders. After major hostilities in Gaza, the group targeted Red Sea shipping and carried out strikes against Israel before the May truce with the United States.
What’s next
Observers should watch whether the houthis move from rhetoric to renewed operations in the Red Sea or elsewhere if allied strikes against Iran continue or expand. The group’s pledge that “all options are on the table” and its explicit threat to act if the Red Sea is used for hostile operations mean maritime routes and diplomatic channels will be closely monitored as regional tensions evolve.
