A member of the Yemeni Houthi political bureau, Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, said the group would target any Israeli military or intelligence presence in Somalia and other areas near Yemen’s borders.
Al-Bukhaiti made the remarks on Wednesday, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, amid rising military tensions in the Red Sea and the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.
The threat comes as the Houthis have carried out attacks on commercial shipping in recent days. On Tuesday, an attack on a cargo ship passing through the Bab al-Mandab strait reportedly killed six people, including four crew members and two Yemeni aid workers.
The Houthis said the ship was carrying military equipment bound for Saudi Arabia, although that claim has not been independently verified.
The attack also wounded 10 people and has raised concerns about the security of commercial shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Al-Bukhaiti’s new statement also reinforces previous warnings by the Houthis about an Israeli presence in Somaliland, arguing that such a presence poses a threat to the security of Yemen and the Red Sea region.
The situation comes as the Bab al-Mandab Strait is a vital route for international trade, and the increased attacks and threats by the Houthis are already affecting shipping and trade in the region.