Gaza [Palestine], March 8: Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced on March 7 that the force will continue naval operations against Israel if Israel does not lift the aid blockade to the Gaza Strip within four days.
"We will give a deadline of four days. This deadline is for the mediators (for the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip) to make efforts to implement it. If the Israeli enemy after four days continues to block humanitarian aid into Gaza and continues to completely close the crossings, we will continue our naval operations against the Israeli enemy," Reuters quoted Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi as saying.
On March 2, Israel blocked aid trucks from entering Gaza as tensions over the ceasefire escalated, with Hamas calling on ceasefire brokers Egypt and Qatar to intervene.
There is no immediate word on Israel's response to the Houthi leader's new statement. Hamas, meanwhile, welcomed the Houthi leader's statement. "The courageous decision ... is an extension of the support and assistance they (Houthi) have provided during the 15 months of conflict ... in Gaza," Hamas stressed.
Last month, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, said they would take military action if the United States and Israel tried to remove Palestinians from Gaza by force, according to Reuters.
The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have carried out more than 100 attacks on Israeli-linked vessels since November 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
