DUBAI, January 11. /TASS/. Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah, has said it is conducting military mobilization in most of the country’s areas under its control.

"Our nation has moved to military mobilization measures in most provinces and the number of conscripts is in the thousands," al-Houthi said in a speech broadcast by Al Masirah television.

He also called on Ansar Allah supporters to continue "combat training, rallies, marches and donating money despite the dire circumstances."

The Houthis have repeatedly said they are ready to join the fighting in the Gaza Strip on the side of Hamas. The Ansar Allah leader has called on Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen, to allow the passage of Houthi ground forces toward the Gaza Strip.

Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Yemen-based Houthis said they would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships affiliated with that country from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave ended. According to the US Central Command, the Houthis have attacked more than 20 civilian ships in the Red Sea since mid-November. In response, the US started Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure freedom of navigation and protect merchant ships.