Yemen Monitor/ Sana’a/ Exclusive:
The Houthi group hinted on Sunday at using Bab al-Mandab Strait card as one of the strategic options in the ongoing military confrontation, asserting that its current operations targeting the “depth of the Zionist entity” represent a first stage that may be followed by more escalatory steps if demands to stop military operations against Iran are not met.
The group’s leader, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, said in televised statements monitored by “Yemen Monitor” that the group’s decision for military intervention comes as direct support for the Axis of Resistance in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran.
On Saturday, the Houthis announced the launch of two operations toward the Israeli occupation, marking the first time they have attacked since the outbreak of the American-Israeli war with Iran. This signals further escalation in the month-long conflict that has engulfed the region. The Houthis vowed to continue the attacks.
He pointed out that the main goal is to pressure the United States and Israel to force them to stop the “aggression” against Iran.
Al-Bukhaiti explained that targeting the Israeli depth represents the “first stage” of the group’s strategy, threatening to move to new stages—the nature of which he did not specify—if “just demands” are not met, as he described them.
In response to a question about the scope of these operations, he confirmed that the Bab al-Mandab Strait remains “one of the options strongly presented” on the group’s military leadership table.
On Saturday, a senior member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee vowed a “crushing” military response against the Houthi group should it attempt to threaten international navigation or interfere in the ongoing regional conflict.
The Houthi leader’s statements were not without sharp criticism of some Gulf states, as he accused them of “implicating themselves” in the conflict “by funding” what he described as hostile American policies. He claimed that some countries allowed the use of their territories and airbases to carry out attacks against Iran, which he considered part of the cost of war borne by the region.
On Friday, the group warned that “Houthi fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention,” and that they would act if attacks against Iran escalate, or if “any other alliances join with America and Israel,” or if the Red Sea is used to carry out “hostile operations” against any Muslim country. This comes as the United States mobilizes more forces to the region amid expectations of a ground offensive against Iran.
In March 2025, President Donald Trump launched an offensive against the group after it targeted maritime navigation and U.S. forces in the Red Sea. That campaign saw U.S. warships and aircraft targeting sites across Yemen with the aim of undermining the Houthis’ military capabilities and sending a warning message to Tehran. The operation, which lasted about two months, ended with a ceasefire reached through Omani mediation, where Trump stated at the time that the Houthis had “acquiesced” and pledged to stop their attacks on ships.
