The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group in Yemen threatened to turn the Red Sea into a “hell”. This threat came after the American marines killed 10 Houthi fighters on Sunday. On Monday, the Houthi-run Saba News Agency posted an editorial titled “America has opened the door to hell for itself,” vowing vengeance for U.S. Navy attacks on the Houthi fighters in the Red Sea off Yemen. The editorial added that the U.S. Navy performed “a foolish act by targeting three boats” and opened the door of hell upon itself, its ships, and its military bases in the region. Moreover, Houthi leader Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti said the Houthi forces would attack the U.S. ships that killed their fighters and would keep banning ships traveling to Israel from crossing the Red Sea. The Houthi attacks on shipping lanes began on November 19.
On Monday, security services seized drone jamming devices in Al-Mahra province to the east of Yemen. The Yemeni Customs Authority stated in a statement that the staff at Shahin border crossing in Al-Mahra seized nine high-precision anti-drone jamming devices. The statement pointed out that the devices were hidden professionally in boxes used for welding tools. The security authorities in Al-Mahra Governorate have repeatedly seized devices and equipment for drones, and these devices are believed to be smuggled to the Houthi group.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian lauded the Houthi group in Yemen for launching attacks on Israel and Israeli ships in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Spokesman for Yemen’s Ansarullah Mohammed Abdul-Salam, who visited Tehran to hold talks with senior Iranian officials. The talks focused on mutual interests and regional security. The Houthis say they will not stop their attacks as long as Israel continues its war on Gaza.
Israeli bombardment rocked Gaza on Monday, while an army spokesman warned the war on the besieged enclave will continue throughout 2024. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met troops inside Gaza on Monday and vowed in a statement that “life will return to its course” for residents of Israeli communities hit in Hamas’s October 7 attacks that triggered the war. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said the army was preparing for the “prolonged fighting” ahead “throughout this year.” A total of 22,185 Palestinians have been killed and 57,035 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct.7, authorities in Gaza say.
