SANAA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen's Houthi group, said Thursday his group stands ready to take military action if developments in the Middle East conflict warrant it, while reiterating strong ties with Iran.
In a televised address aired by Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi said Iran had provided official support to Yemen during its ongoing crisis, describing their relationship as one of mutual loyalty.
"We, as the Yemeni people, reciprocate loyalty with loyalty," he said, adding that Iran was the only country that officially supported Yemen during its crisis.
The Houthi leader underscored his group's willingness to engage militarily, saying any escalation in the regional conflict could lead to direct military action.
"Should developments in the battle require a military position, we will not hesitate to take it, as we have done in previous rounds," he said, referring to past confrontations involving the group against Israel and U.S. warships in the Red Sea.
Last week, Yemen's Houthi group said that it is closely monitoring the developments in the Strait of Hormuz, and would take "appropriate action" in the face of unfolding events in the region.
The group said in a statement that the United States has placed itself in a "strategic predicament," and is attempting to draw others into a broader conflict.
The development came amid heightened tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East. ■
