Majly to Asharq Al-Awsat: Armed Forces Ready for Any Houthi Escalation, to Protect Yemen

Yemen's Armed Forces are on high alert and ready to counter any military escalation by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, stated Brig. Gen. Abdu Majly, the military's spokesman. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Majly condemned what he described as "direct Iranian meddling" in Yemen, asserting it poses a threat to regional and international security and undermines peace efforts.

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The forces are ready to handle any field development or military escalation by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Majly specifically criticized a recent Mahan Air flight from Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport, which he claimed carried Iranian "experts" and members of its Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). He labeled the flight a "flagrant violation of the Yemeni republic’s sovereignty" and a "dangerous threat to Yemeni and regional security," suggesting Iran uses the Houthis as a tool for its expansionist agenda.

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The direct Iranian meddling in Yemen is a threat to regional and international security and undermine efforts to reach a political settlement to end the war.

The Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen echoed these concerns, condemning the flight as evidence of close Iran-Houthi ties and a defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Meanwhile, Turki Al-Malki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, pledged a forceful response to any attacks against Saudi Arabia or Yemen, linking recent developments to broader regional security concerns.

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The flight carried Iranian 'experts' and members of its Revolutionary Guards Corpse (IRGC). They arrived in Yemen to run military operations alongside the Houthis.

Brig. Gen. Majly reiterated that Iran's continued support for the Houthis obstructs political initiatives and peace efforts, holding the rebels responsible for Yemen's ongoing humanitarian and economic crises. He vowed that the Yemeni armed forces would fulfill their constitutional duty to protect the republic, its territories, and its legitimate institutions. On the ground, Majly reported Houthi forces amassing on several fronts, including Hodeidah, and accused them of seeking to threaten navigation in the Red Sea.

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We will respond with unprecedented force to any attack against Saudi Arabia or Yemen.