SANAA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on Thursday warned of a "comprehensive escalation" should Saudi Arabia intensify its military operations.
In a televised address aired by the group's Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi also claimed that the group's maritime campaign against Saudi-linked shipping has yielded "positive results," by targeting Saudi oil tankers, disrupting their movement, forcing 16 ships to turn back, and bringing down reconnaissance drones.
He did not provide evidence to support the claims.
Al-Houthi's remarks came as Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the establishment of a multinational maritime defense alliance it said aimed at safeguarding shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, 14 countries issued a joint declaration supporting the alliance, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
Saudi Arabia will serve as the founding and leading state and host the alliance's permanent headquarters, according to the declaration.
The latest developments came amid heightened tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping on July 20 and claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, whereas the Saudi-led coalition said it struck Houthi military sites in Yemen.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. ■
