Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Threatens Saudi Seaports And Airports If The Country Doesn't Backtrack On Its 'Aggression' Against Sanaa Airport, Banks In Houthi-Controlled Areas

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here. 

On July 7, 2024, in a speech marking the Muslim or Hijri new year, Abd Al-Malik Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi, leader of Yemen's Iran-backed Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis), threatened to attack strategic targets in Saudi Arabia, among them seaports, airports, and banks, in response to what he alleges are similar steps being taken by the Saudis against such targets in Yemen. At the same time, the Houthi official Military Media Telegram channel posted aerial photographs and map coordinates of a succession of seaports and airports in Saudi Arabia accompanied by a threatening quote from Al-Houthi's speech.

These warnings follow a recent significant increase in the level of threats directed by the Houthis at Saudi Arabia. The most blatant of these was made last week, when the Houthis issued an ultimatum demanding that the Saudis permit the return of Yemeni pilgrims to Sanaa from Saudi Arabia on a Yemenia Airways flight that had been delayed for a week, within three days. Later, the Saudis did authorize the flight and it landed in Sanaa on July 5, 2024.[1]

The following is a review of the statements issued by the Houthis on July 7, 2024:

On July 7, 2024, Houthi leader Abd Al-Malik Al-Houthi delivered a speech on the occasion of the start of the Islamic or Hijri new year,[2] which fell on that day. Al-Houthi devoted a significant portion of his speech to the economic campaign he claimed that Saudi Arabia is waging against Yemen, "for Israel and in obeisance to the U.S." He accused the U.S. of attempting to drag the Saudi regime into all-out war against Yemen, by, among other things, "moving the banks" from Sanaa – which he described as "an insane and stupid step" – and attempting to render Sanaa International Airport inoperative. He asserted that the current situation is intolerable and threatened, "We will not stand idly by while our people starve and collapse economically… Saudi Arabia must understand clearly that we will never remain passive when confronted by such stupid acts. They must alter this erroneous path for if not we will respond in kind: banks for banks… the airport in Riyadh for the airport in Sanaa… and seaports for seaports."

The Houthi leader also complained that the Saudi authorities continue to hold Hamas members in their prisons. Addressing the Saudi regime directly he said, "The U.S. is trying to entangle you. If you want to be entangled then go ahead and try it. But if you want the best for yourselves and stability for your country and your economy, that isn't going to happen unless you stop your schemes against our country."[3]

Also on July 7, the Houthi Military Media Telegram channel released a series of posters showing aerial views of seaports and airports in Saudi Arabia as seen through the crosshairs of a gunsight. Among the implied targets that appear on the posters are: King Fahd International Airport, King Khalid International Airport, King Abd Al-'Aziz International Airport, Jeddah Islamic Seaport, Jazan Port, Ras Tanura Port and King Abdullah Port.

seen through the crosshairs of a gunsight. Among the implied targets that appear on the posters are: King Fahd International Airport, King Khalid International Airport, King Abd Al-'Aziz International Airport, Jeddah Islamic Seaport, Jazan Port, Ras Tanura Port and King Abdullah Port.

Superimposed on the posters are the map coordinates of the targets, while the text on the posters reads: "Go ahead and try it," which refers to Al-Houthi's speech from the same day when he threatened Saudi Arabia, saying, "The U.S. is trying to entangle you. If you want to be entangled then go ahead and try it."[4]