The Israeli military operation in Rafah is a threat to the security and stability of Egypt and a violation of the agreements it had signed with the Israeli occupation, Yemeni Ansar Allah movement leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said on Thursday. 

During a speech on the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the region, Sayyed al-Houthi said Egypt's position was at the forefront of the Arab movement as it took a firm stance to pressure the occupation to vacate the Rafah crossing, though he noted that the memorandum of protest Cairo submitted was not sufficient and would not even be considered by the Israeli occupation.

"The American administration gave the occupation permission to enter the Rafah crossing," he said, stressing that the aggression on Gaza "will stop immediately when the Americans decide."

He pointed out that the United States had previously provided large shipments of weapons to the occupation, enough to annihilate the people in Rafah, stressing that it was "pretending to pressure the occupation" regarding Rafah.

He added that the occupation of the Rafah crossing "will not accomplish any military achievements for the occupation" because it is a civilian area and not a military front for the resistance, pointing out that the resistance continues to confront the occupation even in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to him, statements of condemnation towards what is happening in Rafah are ineffective, because the United States does not listen to them, just as it does not listen to student demonstrations in universities. Instead, it suppresses them and deals with them violently and in violation of its own constitution.

Serious steps must be taken

Al-Houthi stressed that the responsibility for taking additional practical steps against the occupation lies with the Arab and Islamic countries and that they should not be sidelined.

He explained that these countries have political, diplomatic, and economic options regarding the aggression on Rafah. "If the Arab regimes do not dare to adopt any position, let their peoples take action."

He underlined that the Islamic and Arab worlds needed to be at such a level of deterrence that they are able to defend themselves from danger, stressing that only the undertaking of serious steps could benefit them as the Israeli occupation does not care about the calls of the international community to stop its aggression and it does not care about the magnitude of the crimes it is committing.

The Islamic and Arab worlds need to move consciously and break free from the state of inertia that has affected many of their peoples, the Yemeni leader stressed.

Sayyed al-Houthi also praised Turkey's suspension of its trade relations with "Israel", calling on the Arab countries that support the occupation to follow in its footsteps.

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He also praised the military operations carried out by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, noting that Hezbollah responded to Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant's threats on the same day with "outstanding operations."

Protests concerning for 'Israel'

The Ansar Allah chief also praised the US student movement that called for stopping the aggression on Gaza, dubbing it a voice of humanity expressing innate human values and stressing that it exposed the West, which claims to champion the values of freedom and human rights.

The protests concerned the occupation, especially since they were among intellectuals and in prestigious universities, which prompted the West to suppress them violently and harshly, he said. "Labeling the protests as 'anti-Semitic' is aimed at silencing the protesters and undermining their freedom."

It is important that these protests receive political and media support from the Muslim world, al-Houthi underlined, hoping that they will spread to Arab countries.

"Unfortunately, students and people are prevented in many Arab countries even from participating in popular demonstrations," he added.

Yemen to expand operations

Regarding the operations carried out by the Yemeni armed forces in support of the Palestinian people, Sayyed al-Houthi said that the number of ships targeted has reached 112, noting that this week's operations were carried out using 10 ballistic and guided missiles and drones.

He added that during the past month, Yemen carried out 25 operations using 71 ballistic and precision missiles and drones.

Regarding the fourth phase of escalation in the face of the Israeli occupation, al-Houthi stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces would attack any ships belonging to a company related to supplying or transporting goods to the Israeli occupation, stressing that any ship that transported goods to the occupation ports after the ban "will be a target for the armed forces."

He stressed that when the Yemeni Armed Forces make a decision, they do so because they have the ability to implement said decision. stressing that "there are no red lines that can hinder the armed forces from carrying out their operations."

The Ansar Allah leader also stressed that Yemen's position is not affected by any political consideration, stressing that they were not influenced by temptations or intimidation tactics that might sway other nations.

New stage of escalation

Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Yahya Saree announced Friday a new stage in escalations that involves the targeting of ships heading to Israeli ports from the Mediterranean Sea.

"We announce the implementation of the fourth phase of escalation by targeting ships moving towards occupied Palestinian ports," Saree said.

Saree outlined three measures: targeting violating ships, immediate implementation, and imposing sanctions on ships related to supplying occupied Palestinian ports if "Israel" invades Rafah. 

"First, the targeting of all ships that violate the ban decision of Israeli navigation and that heading to the ports of occupied Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea in any reachable area within our ample zone. Second, implementation of this comes into effect immediately and from the moment this statement is announced," Saree said in a statement.

The spokesman noted that the Yemeni resistance will carry out attacks against ships heading towards Israeli ports.