Yemen's Houthis warn 'fingers on trigger' as Iran war drags on

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Friday they were ready to intervene militarily if other countries joined the United States and Israel in ​their war against Iran, or if the Red Sea was used to ‌launch attacks on the Islamic Republic.

“We confirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention” if any new alliances join Washington and Israel against Iran and its allies, or ​if the Red Sea is used for “hostile operations” against Iran, the group’s military ​spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.

Saree also said the Houthis ⁠were prepared to act if what he called the escalation against Iran and ​the “axis of resistance” continued, but did not say what form any intervention would take.

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The warning ​raises the prospect of a broader regional confrontation, particularly given the Houthis’ ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula.

Iran’s Shi’ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq ​have already joined the war in the region triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on ​Tehran. The Houthis had not until now announced any direct entry into the war, despite their military ‌capabilities ⁠and geographic position overlooking the Red Sea.

In his speech, Saree also said the group would not allow the Red Sea to be used to carry out “hostile operations” against Iran or any Muslim country. He warned against any further tightening of what he described ​as “the blockade on Yemen.”

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Saree ​called for an immediate ⁠halt to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and allied countries, including Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged the implementation ​of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

After the October 7, 2023, attack on ​Israel by ⁠Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered the war in Gaza, the Houthis began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea, saying they were acting in support of Palestinians.

The group also launched ⁠drones ​and missiles towards Israel, drawing retaliatory airstrikes from Israel ​and U.S. attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Houthis halted those attacks after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel ​and Hamas in October 2025.