Houthi adviser warns of retaliation if the US intervenes in Yemen
Houthi military adviser Abed Mohammed al-Thawr warned that the Houthis would target US interests if Washington supported Saudi Arabia, including with airstrikes or air support. He also said US military action to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait would cross a red line, and threatened to fight and close the strait to US ships. [Claims are cited in the fields below.]
Key points
- The adviser’s warnings were conditional on US support for Saudi Arabia or US military action at the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Evidence · 3 source statements
A Houthi military adviser told AFP that the group would attack U.S. interests in the West Asia if Washington intervenes in Yemen's conflict in support of Saudi Arabia or tries to…
"If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab al-Mandab, it is a red line for them and anyone else... we will fight over it,"
We will consider any American interests around us to be targets and we will not exclude anything,
- He also denied that Iran directed the Houthis, while describing Iran as an ally.
Evidence · 3 source statements
Thawr denied receiving directives from Iran, but said they are "one alliance and one body".
Who's involved
Abed Mohammed al-Thawr, Houthi military adviser
He made the warnings about possible US involvement and spoke on behalf of the Houthi movement.
The Houthis would target US interests if the United States supported Saudi Arabia, and would fight if the United States intervened militarily or tried to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait. He also said Iran did not direct the Houthis.
What they said · 4 source statements
A Houthi military adviser told AFP that the group would attack U.S. interests in the West Asia if Washington intervenes in Yemen's conflict in support of Saudi Arabia or tries to…
"If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab al-Mandab, it is a red line for them and anyone else... we will fight over it,"
We will consider any American interests around us to be targets and we will not exclude anything,
Thawr denied receiving directives from Iran, but said they are "one alliance and one body".
What was reported
- The Houthi military adviser spoke to AFP about possible US involvement in Yemen.
One source: AFP
Evidence · 2 source statements
A Houthi military adviser told AFP that the group would attack U.S. interests in the West Asia if Washington intervenes in Yemen's conflict in support of Saudi Arabia or tries to…
"If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab al-Mandab, it is a red line for them and anyone else... we will fight over it,"
- He said the Houthis would treat US interests in the region as targets if the United States supported Saudi Arabia, including through airstrikes or air support.
Reported independently by 2: AFP, Agence France-Presse
Evidence · 2 source statements
We will consider any American interests around us to be targets and we will not exclude anything,
- He described US military intervention or an attempt to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait as a red line and said the Houthis would fight.
One source: AFP
Evidence · 3 source statements
"If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleets or tries to take control of Bab al-Mandab, it is a red line for them and anyone else... we will fight over it,"
- He threatened to close the strait completely to US ships.
One source: AFP
Evidence · 2 source statements
"close Bab al-Mandab completely to American ships"
- He said Iran was an ally but did not give the Houthis instructions, and said the movement was independent in its sovereignty and decision-making.
One source: AFP
Evidence · 3 source statements
Thawr denied receiving directives from Iran, but said they are "one alliance and one body".
Still unclear
- No US intervention or attempt to control the strait is described in these reports.
- No response from the US or Saudi governments is included.
Not heard from
- United States government — It was the target of the conditional threats, but no US statement appears.
- Saudi government — The warnings concerned possible US support for Saudi Arabia, but no Saudi statement appears.
- Iranian government — The adviser discussed Iran’s relationship with the Houthis, but no statement from Iran appears.