Sanaa says to respond to Saudi-led coalition if escalation continues

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The sovereignty and resources of the Yemeni homeland are legitimate rights that cannot be compromised, and everything else is trivial when it comes to defending the homeland, the Sanaa Ministry of Defense and the chairman of the Yemeni joint chiefs of staff said.

During his participation in the graduation ceremony of servicemen, the Sanaa Defense Minister Major General Mohammed Nasser Al-Atifi said: "The aggression coalition and those who sponsor them must take our warnings seriously."

"The Yemeni people will never accept the presence of foreign occupiers on any inch of its territory, whether on land or in the air, and sea," Al-Atifi underlined.

This comes after Yemeni Ansar Allah movement political bureau member Ali Al-Qahoum stressed earlier in the month that the movement "will not allow the Americans to stay on any inch of Yemeni soil," stressing that Ansar Allah will put an "end to the reasons they use as a pretext to remain in Yemen." 

"The US-British military presence in Bab Al-Mandab and on Yemeni territory is a threat to the entire region," he said.

The Council of Ministers in the Sanaa government condemned earlier the US, UK, and Saudi Arabia's presence in the Al-Mahrah Governorate, due to the aggression, blatant occupation, and violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen it represents

"If the enemy continues to prevaricate and escalate with its mercenaries, our response will be surprising, and our enemies can do nothing but regret their actions," the defense minister added.

Furthermore, the Sanaa top official underlined that the government will not allow for the continuation of the blockade on its seaports, saying they would respond in kind if that is what they have to do in order to break the blockade.

"Our patience is running out, and if the countries of aggression continue acting in such an idiotic manner, they must brace for our earth-shattering responses. We are for peace, but we are sensing that the other side is cunning," Al-Atifi said.

The head of the Supreme Political Council in Sanaa, Mahdi Al-Mashat, said that "fully opening Sanaa airport and Al-Hudaydah port and lifting the blockade by land, air, and sea is a right of the Yemeni people", not a favor from anyone.

"Sanaa will not allow the continuation of the blockade and the restriction of flights to and from Sanaa International Airport, and if the blockade continues, the necessary steps will be taken to lift it off," Al-Mashat continued.

"The American military presence, as well as any other foreign presence in Yemen, is a temporary occupation, and they will leave willingly or unwillingly," he added.

Moreover, Ansar Allah had warned that it would wage a decisive battle to end the operations of the Saudi coalition and lift its restrictions imposed on Yemen, in the event that the ongoing Oman-mediated negotiations with Riyadh fail.

"The negotiations may not succeed, and we will have to wage a decisive battle to end the aggression," political bureau member Mohammad Al-Bukhaiti said.

"Therefore, we advise our Yemeni brothers who are still on the side of the enemy to prepare to join the ranks" of Ansar Allah along the lines of contact and enable the movement to quickly resolve the battle, he added.