Houthi rebels on Monday threatened a “swift and painful” response against US interests in the Middle East if President Donald Trump joins Saudi military strikes against the group, AFP reported.
“If the United States becomes involved in the aggression against Yemen, we will not deliberate on the decision to respond. Rather, there will be a rapid and painful response targeting the United States and all its interests in the region,” Mohammed Al Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ politburo, told the European News Agency.
Boukhaiti also warned “all employees and workers at Saudi oil facilities and airports to stay away from these sites, as they have become legitimate targets.”
The threats follow the group’s deadly attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, which killed at least 13 people and injured hundreds more.
Trump on Monday condemned the Riyadh attack, saying it was unacceptable.
“The Houthis are behaving very badly. They are behaving very badly. It’s not good,” the president told reporters at the White House.
Trump, who called the airport attack “unacceptable,” also confirmed he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Meanwhile, explosions were again reported over Riyadh on Monday evening, with the Saudi-led coalition claiming to have intercepted a Houthi missile. The Houthis claimed responsibility for another attack on the airport.
Boukhaiti also told AFP that these attacks were aimed at warning the crown prince “that he can no longer carry out aggression against Yemen from a secure position.”
Gn world
