Drone strikes response to Saudi spurning of peace: Houthi

A senior Ansarullah official says Yemen has resumed its retaliatory drone attacks deep inside Saudi Arabia in response to the kingdom's spurning of “peace initiatives” sponsored by the United Nations.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of Yemen, said on Sunday the Ansarullah movement had agreed to halt strikes last year “in good faith” and was ready to take more steps.

“But unfortunately the aggressor countries misinterpreted these efforts (as weakness) and regarded them with contempt and indifference,” he told Reuters news agency. 

Houthi further dismissed Saudi allegations that the drone strikes had been carried out on Iran's orders. “We are independent in our decisions and ... we are not subordinated to anyone,” he said.

He pointed out that Yemeni forces had unilaterally withdrawn from three Red Sea ports, and criticized Saudi Arabia and its mercenaries for their failure to do so.

Over the past week, Yemeni fighters have launched three drone attacks on the airport in Saudi Arabia’s southern Najran region. A US-made Patriot missile battery at the airport was also targeted in the attacks.

A drone strike was carried out deep inside Saudi territory on two oil pumping stations on May 14.

The Ansarullah movement has warned that the attack ushered in a new phase of large-scale retaliatory attacks against vital targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

SS