AL-MUKALLA: The chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, pledged to defeat the Houthi militia and end their rule, as the country marked the 62nd anniversary of its Sept. 26 Revolution.
In a televised speech on the eve of the commemoration of the 1962 uprising, he accused the Houthis of attempting to restore the Zaidi Imamate that ruled Yemen before the revolution, and promised to defeat them and foil Iran’s plans for the country.
“At the forefront of our national tasks and priorities is the completion of the country’s liberation from terrorism, slavery, tyranny, ignorance and injustice brought about by the new imamates,” Al-Alimi said.
“We must defeat the Iranian project, and the outcome of this decisive battle, in which we have no choice but to win, will determine our freedom and dignity, as well as the future of all Yemeni men and women.”
The Yemeni leader thanked Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman for the support they have provided to the Yemeni people, the transitional council and state bodies, and for facilitating peace talks in the hope of ending the war in the country.
The revolution, which began on Sept. 26, 1962, resulted in the overthrow of the Zaidi Imamate rulers who had controlled northern Yemen for centuries, paving the way for the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic. Many Yemenis believe the Houthis share similar radical ideologies as the Zaidi Imamate and wish to revive its era, during which rule over the country was limited to Hashemites.
The Houthis have attempted to suppress celebrations of the anniversary of the revolution in areas under their control. They have abducted at least 250 people over the past few days for commemorating the event online or encouraging others to do so. They also deployed forces and armored vehicles in Sanaa, Hodeidah, Taiz, Ibb, Dhamar and other areas to to crack down on any revolutionary rallies.
The Houthis say those who celebrate the revolution are being used by the US and other opponents to put pressure on the militia to halt its attacks on international shipping.
The leader of the group, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, on Thursday vowed that attacks on vessels in waters off the coast of Yemen will continue until Israel ends its war in the Gaza Strip. He also said his forces would defend Hezbollah against Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
“We will continue to support Gaza and Palestine in general, as well as Lebanon and Hezbollah, without hesitation,” he said during a televised speech.
The Houthis say their attacks on ships using missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and drone boats, which began in November, target Israeli, American and British ships in an attempt to put pressure on authorities in Israel to halt their military operations in Gaza.
However, critics say the militia is using outrage in Yemen over the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza to gain public support, recruit new fighters and divert attention from its failures to address crumbling services and pay public-sector salaries.
Speaking in the US on Wednesday during an event organized by the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, Al-Alimi called for the Houthis to be globally designated as a terrorist organization in an attempt to deter them from undermining the security of international shipping lanes. He warned that the group would continue to attack ships even if the war in Gaza ended.
“After using the Red Sea as a weapon, Iran and its affiliate militias will continue to blackmail international trade, waterways and the environment in the future,” he said.
