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Armed Yemeni tribesmen join Houthi fighters riding military vehicles during an anti-US and Israel rally on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on Jan 16, 2025. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened on Jan 16 to keep up their attacks if Israel did not respect the recently announced ceasefire in its war against Hamas. (Photo: AFP/Mohammed Huwais)
17 Jan 2025 02:31AM (Updated: 17 Jan 2025 06:11AM)
SANA’A: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened on Thursday (Jan 16) to keep up their attacks if Israel did not respect the recently announced ceasefire in its war against Hamas.
The rebels, part of Iran’s “axis of resistance”, have been attacking Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea throughout the war in Gaza, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.
“We will watch the implementation of the agreement, and if there are any Israeli breaches, massacres or attacks, we will be ready to provide military support to the Palestinian people,” rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi said in a televised address.
He was speaking a day after the announcement of a six-week ceasefire, expected to start on Sunday, that would involve the release of 33 Israeli hostages being held by Palestinian militants.
“The Israeli enemy failed to achieve its declared and clear goals, and failed miserably to recover its prisoners without an exchange deal,” the Huthi leader said, maintaining that Israel and the US were “obliged” to accept the ceasefire.
Since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, the rebels, who control much of Yemen, have fired dozens of missiles and drones at Israel.
They have also waged a harassment campaign against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, severely disrupting vital trade lanes.
They have stepped up their missile launches against Israel in recent weeks, with 16 people wounded in one attack targeting Tel Aviv in December.
In response, Israeli jets have struck Houthi targets in a series of air raids, including one that killed four people at Sanaa’s international airport last month.