Iran’s IRGC commander declared that the Houthi group in Yemen makes independent strategic decisions, countering U.S. demands to halt support. This follows recent U.S.-UK airstrikes in Yemen, resulting in casualties due to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, emphasizing the ongoing conflict’s implications for regional stability.
On Sunday, Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), emphasized that the Houthi group in Yemen operates autonomously in making strategic decisions. His statement came in response to US President Donald Trump’s requests for Iran to cease its support for the Houthis amid escalating tensions in the region. Salami asserted, “Yemen is an independent nation with its own policies,” highlighting the Houthis as representatives of national interests who determine their own operational strategies.
The backdrop of Salami’s remarks includes a recent military escalation, where at least 31 individuals were reported dead and 101 injured following US-UK airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. This military action was a direct consequence of President Trump’s directive for a decisive response to Houthi attacks on shipping operations in the Red Sea, which were linked to the broader context of regional instability.
This marked a significant moment in U.S.-Yemen relations, being the first military strikes initiated by the U.S. since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in January. The Houthis have been engaged in missile and drone attacks against Israeli-affiliated ships in the Red Sea since late 2023, citing these assaults as a demonstration of their solidarity with the Gaza Strip, thereby disrupting international trade flows.
The statements by IRGC commander Hossein Salami reinforce the perspective that the Houthis operate independently of Iranian directives in Yemen. Amid heightened military actions from the United States in response to Houthi aggression, both regional dynamics and the conflict’s impact on global trade have come to the forefront, accentuating the complexity of the situation in Yemen and its significance in broader geopolitical contexts.
Original Source: www.yenisafak.com
