Houthis Threaten US Interests Over Yemen Conflict

Houthi rebels have threatened to attack US interests in the Middle East if Washington intervenes in Yemen's conflict on behalf of Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed Houthis control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping lane that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Saudi Arabia has requested American and international military assistance against the Houthis, but US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected the request. However, CNN reported two weeks ago that US personnel were on the ground in Saudi Arabia providing intelligence for strikes.

Houthi military adviser Abed Mohammed al-Thawr told AFP that the group would attack US interests if Washington intervenes militarily or tries to take control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 'If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab el-Mandeb, it is a red line for them and anyone else... we will fight over it,' Thawr said.

The Houthi blockade has shaken Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, which was already hit by Tehran's stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz as part of its war with the United States. The Iran-backed Houthis dislodged Saudi-backed government forces from Yemen's Red Sea coast in fighting that left hundreds dead.