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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have called on Egypt to distance itself from the Saudi-led war on Yemen, which has been ongoing for more than eight years.
Hussein al-Ezzi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Houthi-led government in Yemen, made the call on December 21, after Egypt took command of the Combined Maritime Forces-153 (CMF-153).
The CMF-153 was established by the United States and several Arab states earlier this year to counter smuggling and confront illegal activities, especially terrorist activities, in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and Gulf of Aden. The Egyptian military assumed command of the forces on December 13.
“I hope that beloved Egypt will distance itself from any hostile actions against Sanaa,” al-Ezzi wrote on Twitter. “We frankly love Egypt and we do not want it to be harmed, but we also will not accept turning our waters into waste water or an open platform to harm the interests of our people.”
Al-Ezzi, who also heads the Houthis’ Political and External Relations Department, went on to say that the Yemenis harm only those who want to harm Yemen.
Today, the Houthis control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and possess a large arsenal of suicide drones and anti-ship missiles that allows them to hit naval targets in Bab al-Mandab and Gulf of Aden.
Egypt has been an inactive member of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis since its formation. The country has not yet taken any military action against the group in Yemen, so far. Any change in this situation could put Cairo on course for a standoff for the Houthis.
