Aden, Sep 24 (IANS) Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced their support for Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah in the ongoing conflict with Israel. 356 Lebanese people have died in Israeli air strikes.
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam condemned Israel’s “aggression” against Lebanon on the group’s Al-Masirah TV channel, according to news agency Xinhua. “We reiterate that Yemen stands with Lebanon and its brave Islamic resistance,” he said.
The Houthi spokesman called for broader regional participation. He called on other countries in the region to condemn Israeli attacks in a louder voice.
“We appeal to Arab and Islamic countries to break the ‘silence’,” the Houthi spokesman said.
Earlier on Friday, Yemen’s Houthi Defense Minister Mohammad Nasser al-Atifi said in a televised address that the Houthi group would continue its attacks against Israel. He said, “We will not stop until the aggression on Gaza stops.”
The Houthi group, which controls large parts of northern Yemen, has been attacking international shipping off the country’s coast since November 2023. It says it is doing so in support of Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.
Israeli air strikes in Lebanon on Monday killed 356 people, including 24 children and 42 women, and injured 1,246 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi announced on Monday evening that the country was preparing for the “next phases” of its military operation.
Halevi said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had struck around 1,100 targets in southern and eastern Lebanon. “We are striking targets and preparing for the next steps,” he said.
Israel’s extensive air strikes in Lebanon have escalated the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The escalation of hostility is due to the mysterious explosions targeting pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon last week. Several people were killed and thousands injured in these explosions.
In response to the Israeli attacks, Hezbollah fired more than 180 rockets toward northern Israel throughout Monday, the Israeli military said, adding that air defense systems intercepted some of the rockets while others fell on Israeli territory, causing fires.
Magen David Adom of the rescue service said five people were injured by shrapnel.
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