Yemen's Houthis are closely monitoring US movements in the Red Sea and are making military preparations for a possible confrontation with the United States and Israel in the coming days, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah.
The report said that the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and two destroyers to the Red Sea has heightened expectations of a new round of maritime clashes near Yemen. The Houthis view the US military presence as a direct threat to maritime security along this vital shipping route, as well as to Yemen’s national security.
In a televised speech marking the anniversary of the group’s “resistance slogan,” Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi confirmed that his forces are considering escalation “if the enemy escalates again.” He emphasized “the importance of unity in confronting the American-Israeli project in the region,” and said that Sanaa “will not remain neutral in this conflict,” pledging alignment with Iran and the so-called “axis of resistance” against what he described as US-Israeli aggression.
Responding to a US Central Command (CENTCOM) announcement on Monday regarding the redeployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Red Sea, alongside images showing sailors preparing bunker-busting bombs, a military source in Sanaa told Al-Akhbar that “the American show of force in the Red Sea will not last.”
The Indian Ocean could soon become a “danger zone” for US forces
The source referenced a previous incident involving the USS Harry S. Truman, claiming that while the US had showcased preparations for combat, it had concealed missile strikes that downed aircraft from the carrier. Shortly afterward, the administration of US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire and withdrawal from the Red Sea, the source alleged.
According to the report, the source expects a renewed wave of attacks targeting US aircraft carriers and accompanying warships in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. He warned that these waters, as well as the Indian Ocean, could soon become “danger zones” for US forces.
Mujib Shamsan, a military expert linked to Yemen’s Defense Ministry in Sanaa, said US naval movements are being closely tracked, adding that Yemeni forces reserve the right to send further “messages” to US forces in the Red Sea without prior warning. He suggested that the USS Gerald R. Ford could again be considered a legitimate target, arguing that “aircraft carriers are no longer the crown jewel of American power, but have become easy targets.”
Shamsan also interpreted the carrier’s return to the region as a sign of Washington’s concern over Yemen’s potential role in the next phase of escalation, including the possible closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the event of conflict. He stressed that Sanaa “will not allow the Red Sea to be used for hostile actions against Iran or the axis countries.”
At the same time, unconfirmed reports circulating in Sanaa over the past 48 hours have suggested maritime clashes between the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group and Yemeni forces, though neither side has officially confirmed or denied the claims.