Yemen Warns Saudi of Further Strikes if Blockade Continues

A member of the political bureau of Ansar Allah, the governor of Dhamar, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, confirmed that the statements of US President Joe Biden about Washington’s desire to end the war in Yemen are of no value. He argued that this contradicts their practical behavior and warned that the insistence on continuing the criminal blockade on the Yemeni people would lead to a new military round targeting the vital economic infrastructure of the aggressor countries.

Al-Bukhaiti stated that Biden’s declaration of his desire to reach a permanent end to the war in Yemen was intended for media consumption. Had the US been sincere, they would have presented a resolution to the UN Security Council to stop the aggression and lift the blockade.

Biden had issued a misleading statement this week on the anniversary of the ceasefire, considering it an “achievement” for the White House in the path of “stopping the war” in Yemen. He claimed that the US would continue working towards a complete end to the conflict.

Al-Bukhaiti emphasized that US interests still lie in the continuation of the war, though a ceasefire would represent a common interest between Yemen and neighboring countries. He pointed out that this is the reason that the US has sabotaged more than one agreement to end the war at the last minute.

Sanaa had confirmed on multiple occasions that the US had failed many understandings that had been reached during past negotiations by insisting on continuing the blockade and plundering resources while maintaining the presence of foreign forces in the country.

Al-Bukhaiti warned that the continuation of the blockade on Yemen and the plundering of its resources are an integral part of the war, and the effects of economic warfare are more dangerous than those of military conflict. If the blockade is not lifted, Sanaa will be forced to embark on a decisive military campaign targeting the economic infrastructure of the aggressor countries, including oil facilities, ports, and airports.

This warning is reinforced by the announcement made by the leader of the revolution, Abdulmalik Badreddin al-Houthi, in a speech commemorating National Resilience Day. He mentioned the readiness to carry out devastating missile and air strikes targeting enemy facilities, tearing the “udder of the kingdom” – a reference to oil installations.

The defense minister had also confirmed that the upcoming battle with the enemy coalition would be “decisive” if they insist on continuing the war and blockade. The armed forces would respond to any hostile escalation with a “shaking retaliation.”

Al-Bukhaiti called on Saudi and Emirati leaders to exercise reason and self-interest, especially after realizing that the US deliberately obstructs any solution while feigning concern for peace, attempting to evade moral responsibility for the suffering inflicted on the Yemeni people due to the aggression.

He added that the US might seek to use war crimes in Yemen as leverage for financially blackmailing Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the future.

These messages coincide with the completion of a full year since the start of the de-escalation, which included a ceasefire and a reduction in escalation without achieving any real progress toward a just peace. The stubbornness of the aggressor countries, their patrons, and their attempts to perpetuate a state of neither war nor peace, while continuing the blockade and occupation, clearly reveal the absence of genuine intentions for a solution. This raises the likelihood of a return to military confrontation.