Abdul Malik al-Houthi Calls for Escalation Against U.S. and Israel in Gaza and Red Sea Campaign
Executive Summary
In a wide-ranging speech marking the anniversary of the Houthi movement’s founding slogan, Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi condemned Israeli “genocide” in Gaza, denounced U.S. military support for Israel, and vowed that Yemen would continue its armed and naval operations targeting Israeli and American interests in Palestine and the Red Sea.
Analysis
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi delivered a fiery address on May 1, 2025, tying regional developments—including the war in Gaza and Western involvement in the Red Sea—to the foundational ideology of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement. Al-Houthi accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, claiming more than 7,000 families in Gaza had been completely exterminated, including 18,000 children and 12,400 women. He also alleged the systematic targeting of medical and rescue workers, as well as the use of starvation as a weapon to threaten over two million Palestinians.
Al-Houthi then broadened his scope, criticizing the U.S. not just for backing Israel, but for waging what he called a “barbaric” military campaign against Yemen. He cited American naval deployments and airstrikes—including a recent strike that killed 93 people in Ras Issa—and called these attacks criminal acts of desperation. He vowed that such aggression would be met with continued escalation, including rocket and drone strikes against Israeli targets in Ashkelon, Jaffa, and the Negev, as well as missile attacks on U.S. warships like the aircraft carrier Truman. He described the American military presence as panicked and evasive, citing the loss of advanced aircraft and the ongoing operational withdrawal of key U.S. assets.
Positioning Yemen as a central pillar of resistance in the region, al-Houthi claimed that Houthi-led operations had shut down Israel’s maritime access through the Red Sea, costing Tel Aviv 40% of its shipping capacity. He praised the Yemeni public’s resilience, highlighting large-scale protests and tribal mobilizations as evidence that the Yemeni people remained firmly behind the resistance, both ideologically and militarily.
In a theological and ideological framing, al-Houthi portrayed the conflict as a cosmic struggle between divine justice and Zionist-Western imperialism. He accused the U.S., Israel, and their allies of seeking to erase Islam and subjugate the Muslim world by weakening resistance, dismantling cultural identity, and enforcing total regional control. Against this, he reaffirmed the Houthis’ “Qur’anic Project”—a doctrine rooted in scripture and designed to immunize Yemenis against Western influence, foster grassroots mobilization, and build spiritual and military resilience. He positioned the movement as uniquely incorruptible and consistent, claiming it has resisted American influence without compromise, unlike other Islamist groups.
Finally, al-Houthi announced a mass mobilization in Sana’a and other governorates, presenting it as both a symbolic and strategic show of strength. He concluded with prayers for the “martyrs,” vows of vengeance, and assurances of divine favor, emphasizing that the Houthis would never retreat from their position as a bulwark against U.S. and Israeli dominance in the region.
