Al‑Thawr told AFP that any U.S. military action against the Houthis or any effort to reopen the strategic Bab al‑Mandab waterway would cross a "red line" for the movement, and that the Houthis would "fight over it" and consider American assets in the region legitimate targets.
The statements come as the Houthis seized control of Bab al‑Mandab earlier this month, effectively blocking the narrow shipping lane that serves as the gateway to the Red Sea and a vital conduit for global oil shipments, especially for Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly asked the United States and other international partners for military assistance to counter the Houthi blockade, while Yemen’s internationally recognised government has also appealed for help, according to unnamed sources cited by AFP.
Since July, the Houthis have intensified their campaign against Saudi‑backed forces, dislodging them from Yemen’s Red Sea coast and launching drones and missiles at Saudi targets, including a rare strike on the capital Riyadh.
Al‑Thawr warned that if the United States were to provide air support or conduct airstrikes on behalf of Saudi Arabia, the Houthis would treat any American interests in the vicinity as targets and would seek to close Bab al‑Mandab completely to U.S. vessels.
While the Houthis acknowledge a close alliance with Iran, al‑Thawr denied receiving direct orders from Tehran, describing the relationship as "friendly, allied, and brotherly" but emphasizing the group’s independent decision‑making.
The United Nations warned on the same day that the number of displaced Yemenis could rise from over 130,000 today to more than 230,000 in the coming months as the conflict escalates and the blockade tightens.
Al‑Thawr concluded by asserting that the Houthis possess the capability to “discipline” Saudi Arabia and to force it out of the oil and economic arena, signalling a broader strategic ambition beyond the immediate maritime dispute.