Braving heavy rains, large crowds gathered in Yemen’s capital of Sana’a to express firm support for the country’s “siege for siege and escalation for escalation” policy and strongly condemn the latest deadly joint US-Saudi strikes on Iraq.
Participants on Friday voiced unwavering backing for the Ansarullah movement’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, and for the Yemeni Armed Forces. They pledged continued support for military measures until the Saudi-led blockade on Yemen is completely lifted and the country’s legitimate rights and resources are restored.
Throughout the demonstration, crowds chanted slogans denouncing Saudi Arabia and the United States while reaffirming their commitment to ongoing military operations and resistance against foreign aggression. Many carried the flags of Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran, chanting in support of the Palestinian cause and expressing solidarity with the regional Axis of Resistance.
Organizers reiterated their support for the unity of regional resistance fronts and called for broader action against the expansionist policies of the United States and Israel across West Asia. They also renewed their solidarity with Palestinian factions, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The rally fully endorsed the recently announced maritime blockade targeting Saudi-linked shipping, describing it as a legitimate and necessary response to the continued blockade of Yemen. Prominent speakers warned that any further escalation by Saudi Arabia would be met with additional military measures under the movement’s declared “siege for siege” policy.
In a statement read during the rally, participants reaffirmed support for military operations and called for continued public mobilization.
The statement declared that the movement is fully prepared for further escalation if Saudi Arabia and its allies maintain the blockade on Yemen.
It also strongly condemned the most recent “US-Saudi aggression” against Iraq, expressed solidarity with the Iraqi people, and extended support to Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran.
Washington and Riyadh have falsely portrayed the bombardment as retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, claiming the drones originated from Iraqi territory, a claim swiftly and firmly rejected by Baghdad and by Iraqi resistance groups. Baghdad has stated that no evidence whatsoever has been presented to support these baseless allegations.
The US-Saudi strikes against bases of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) headquarters in several Iraqi cities killed at least 20 members of the anti-terror force while leaving more than 30 others injured.
The rally concluded with a statement affirming the Yemeni people’s firm commitment to their military strategy, including the continuation of maritime operations, and their determination to meet any future escalation with further escalation. Organizers called on supporters across the region to stand behind this campaign.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior member of the Ansarullah political bureau, declared that Yemen will not cease military operations against Saudi Arabia until Riyadh completely lifts its long-standing siege.
Recent escalation has seen Yemeni forces successfully strike critical Saudi oil facilities and shoot down hostile drones that violated Yemen’s airspace.
