Houthis: Being designated a terrorist organization will not stop us from supporting Palestine

Houthi Spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam, in an interview with the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, said, "The US terrorist designation will not stop us from supporting Palestine and the Palestinian people."

SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE REITERATED

Pointing out that the US decision to add the Houthis to the list of terrorist organizations would have no validity on the ground, Abdulsalam stated, "This decision will serve no purpose other than to strengthen our stance in support of Palestine."

The US administration had re-designated the Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis in Yemen, as a "foreign terrorist organization" due to their attacks in the Red Sea.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, in a written statement regarding the addition of the Houthis to the terror list, expressed that the Houthis' attacks disrupting shipping in the Red Sea also endangered American personnel, and that both the US administration and the international community were responding collectively to these attacks.

CURRENT SITUATION IN THE RED SEA

The Iran-backed Houthis (Ansar Allah movement) in Yemen began seizing commercial vessels they claimed were linked to Israeli companies off the coast of Yemen on October 31, citing a reaction to Israel's attacks in Gaza, and also began launching drone and missile attacks on some of them.

During this period, US forces announced several times that they had shot down missiles and kamikaze drones launched from Yemen.

Following the Houthis' actions, numerous shipping companies decided to suspend their voyages in the Red Sea.

On December 18, the US announced the creation of a multinational "maritime task force" called "Operation Prosperity Guardian" with the participation of a group of countries, citing the threat to global maritime trade security.

On December 31, three Houthi speedboats attempting to seize a ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea were fired upon by US helicopters.

On January 10, the Houthis announced that a US ship was targeted in the Red Sea with missiles and kamikaze drones on the grounds that it was supporting Israel.

On January 11, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution submitted by the US and Japan demanding an immediate end to the Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea.

Approximately 12 percent of global trade is conducted via the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and offers the shortest route between Europe and Asia.

News Source: AA