Sana’a, Yemen – The leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, has issued a stark warning, vowing to launch attacks on Israel if the war in Gaza resumes following the collapse of the fragile cease-fire agreement.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, al-Houthi declared that his Iran-backed group is prepared to escalate hostilities in response to any renewed Israeli military action in Gaza. “Our fingers are on the trigger, and we are ready to immediately escalate against the Israeli enemy if it returns to escalation in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
Houthis Pledge Support for Hamas, Threaten Red Sea Attacks
The Houthis, who have been aligned with Hamas due to their shared backing from Iran, have previously targeted Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Since November 2023, the group has intensified attacks on foreign commercial and military vessels, disrupting one of the world’s busiest trade routes between Europe and Asia.
Al-Houthi also took aim at former U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a “fool” for issuing a cease-fire ultimatum to Hamas and for proposing a controversial plan to evacuate Gaza under U.S. control.
Cease-Fire Tensions and Israeli Military Response
The warning from Yemen comes amid renewed tensions between Israel and Hamas. On Monday, Hamas announced a pause in the Israeli hostage exchanges, accusing Israel of violating the cease-fire by restricting humanitarian aid to northern Gaza.
In response, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant placed the military on high alert, reinforcing troops in the Southern Command, which oversees Gaza operations. “The reinforcements of troops and mobilization of reservists are being carried out in preparation for various scenarios,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that “intense fighting” will resume if Hamas does not release additional hostages by Saturday at 12 p.m., as outlined in the cease-fire deal.
Hostage Releases and Uncertain Future
So far, 21 hostages have been freed by Hamas, including American-Israeli Keith Siegel, who was kidnapped along with his wife, Aviva, during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Aviva was released in November 2023.
The cease-fire agreement initially required 12 more hostages to be released over the next three weeks. However, with 76 hostages still in Gaza—30 of whom are presumed dead—uncertainty looms over whether the fragile truce can hold.
With rising tensions and threats of escalation from both Hamas and the Houthi rebels, the region faces a precarious moment that could further destabilize the ongoing conflict.
