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Houthis Ready for Battle, Could Seal Key Strait to Pressure US-Israel

Yemen's Ansarullah, the Houthi movement, is reportedly on full alert and ready to enter the ongoing West Asia conflict in support of Iran. According to a Tasnim News Agency report, the group could exert pressure by controlling the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have a history of such actions, having previously imposed a naval blockade on Israeli-linked shipping following the Gaza conflict escalation. Iran's Foreign Minister has stated the country's policy remains one of "resistance" against what it calls unprovoked aggression.

Key Points: Yemen's Houthis on High Alert, Threaten Bab al-Mandeb Strait

  • Houthis on high alert since conflict start
  • Could control Bab al-Mandeb Strait
  • Past actions show capability to blockade
  • Imposed costs via naval blockade on Israel
  • Iran's policy is continued resistance
2 min read

Yemen's Ansarullah ready to enter battlefield in support of Iran: Iran Media

Yemen's Ansarullah movement is prepared to enter the West Asia conflict, threatening to control the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait to pressure the US and Israel.

"is on full alert and ready to enter the battlefield - Informed source to Tasnim"

Tehran, March 26

Yemen's Ansarullah "popular resistance movement", Houthi movement, is reportedly ready to enter the battlefield in support of Iran amid the ongoing West Asia conflict against the ongoing US-Israel strikes on Iran, according to a news report of Tasnim News agency.

Citing an informed source, the agency reported that the movement has been on high alert since the start of the conflict.

"As they have stated since the first day" of the aggression on February 28, Ansarullah "is on full alert and ready to enter the battlefield," the source was quoted as saying.

According to Tasnim, the group could play a role by exerting control over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait as a form of pressure against the parties (US and Israel) involved in the conflict.

According to the source quoted by Tasnim, it added that controlling the strait becomes necessary to further "discipline" the enemy, not only does Iran have the capability to generate a "credible threat" in the waterway, but the "heroic forces" of Ansarullah also are "fully prepared to play a skilful role."

According to the source of the Tasnim news report, Ansarullah has shown in the past that closing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and asserting the will of the resistance in the Red Sea is an achievable task.

According to Tasnim News Agency, the group has earlier deployed its military capabilities to pressure hostile parties in the region.

Following the October 7, 2023, escalation and Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip, Ansarullah launched measures, including a naval blockade targeting Israeli-linked shipping either heading toward or departing from the occupied territories.

The blockade reportedly imposed high costs on Israel's economy, forcing ships to reroute around southern Africa to reach their destinations.

Besides the naval blockade, the group has also carried out aerial operations targeting Israeli sites and launched repeated attacks against US naval vessels operating near Yemen's coastline, Tasnim added.

Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi said the country will continue to follow the policy of "resistance" in response to "unprovoked American-Israeli aggression", ruling out negotiations or a ceasefire without reliable guarantees, according to Iranian State Media Press TV.

Speaking in a televised interview on Wednesday, Araghchi said, "At present, our policy is to continue resistance, and no negotiations have taken place."

"There are no negotiations underway," he was quoted by Press TV as saying, while also questioning the reliability of external assurances.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The situation in West Asia keeps getting more complex. While we understand the resistance narrative, any disruption in the Red Sea is a headache for Indian exporters and importers. Prices of everything from electronics to pulses could go up. Hope our external affairs ministry has a contingency plan.
A
Aman W
Frankly, this shows the failure of US foreign policy. They keep poking the bear and then act surprised when others react. India has to walk a very careful line - maintaining relationships with all sides while protecting our own people and economy. It's a tough job.
S
Sarah B
Reading this from an Indian security perspective is concerning. A blockade is an act of war. If this pulls in more regional players, the conflict could spiral beyond control. India's stance should be clear: we support dialogue and peaceful resolution, not more military posturing.
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Vikram M
The Houthis have shown they can disrupt shipping. Remember the attacks last year? Our naval presence in the region is strong, but we cannot get drawn into someone else's conflict. Our priority must be the safe passage of Indian vessels and the well-being of our diaspora in the Gulf.
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Karthik V
With respect, I think the article is presenting just one side from Iranian media. We need to be cautious. The ground reality might be different. India's policy has always been balanced, and we should wait for official statements from our MEA before jumping to conclusions.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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