Yemeni Govt: Coalition Response to Houthis Part of Counterterrorism Efforts

The legitimate Yemeni government said on Saturday that the military response by the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen against legitimate Houthi targets in Hodeidah was part of joint efforts to combat terrorism, protect international shipping and maritime security, and deter criminal attacks targeting civilian vessels.

In a statement, the government strongly condemned the terrorist attack by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, saying the latest escalation demonstrated the group’s determination to undermine regional and international efforts to reduce tensions while dragging Yemen into conflicts that have nothing to do with the interests of its people.

The government praised the coalition’s highly precise retaliatory operation, saying it was confined to legitimate military targets linked to the militia’s terrorist threats.

The operation complied with international law, including the principles of necessity and proportionality, and was carried out only after all necessary precautions had been taken to protect civilians and civilian objects, it added.

Yemeni ports, including the Port of Hodeidah, continue to receive commercial vessels and humanitarian supplies as usual and have sustained no damage, it said.

This reflected the coalition’s commitment to protecting civilian infrastructure, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods, food, and fuel, and avoiding any disruption to citizens’ interests or international trade, stressed the government.

Moreover, it noted that the latest Houthi escalation once again demonstrated the militia’s willingness to jeopardize the interests of the Yemeni people and the country’s national resources in pursuit of the Iranian regime’s agenda and to strengthen Tehran’s negotiating position by using the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as leverage against the regional and international communities.

The government said it would continue, in coordination with the coalition and regional and international partners, to take all necessary measures to protect civilians, safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen, secure international shipping, ensure the continued operation of ports and the uninterrupted flow of trade and humanitarian aid, and deter any threat to national or regional security.

The government stressed that it would not allow the continued use of Yemeni territory as a platform to threaten its neighbors and the security of international navigation, holding the Houthi militia fully responsible for the humanitarian, economic, and security repercussions resulting from the continuation of this destructive approach.

The statement also called on the international community to adopt a firmer stance toward the terrorist group by cutting off its sources of funding and weapons, and holding its backers accountable, in order to preserve regional security and stability and protect shared international interests.

aawsat.com