DUBAI, January 30. /TASS/. Mohammed Nasser Al-Atefi, a representative of the Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, said it is ready for a long confrontation with the US and UK.

"Our revolutionary leadership and the Supreme Political Council have taken all necessary steps <...> so we are ready for a long confrontation with the forces of tyranny. The Americans, the British and those who coordinated with them must realize the strength of Yemen's sovereign decision and that it is not a matter of discussion or debate," Al-Atefi said on the Houthi-owned Al Masirah television.

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. The Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since mid-November.

On January 12, US and UK aircraft, naval ships and submarines struck Houthis sites in some Yemeni cities. The targets included the Houthis sites for launching missiles and drones, along with locations of radar stations. Overnight into January 23, the UK and the US carried out a second officially confirmed joint series of strikes, with the main target being underground Houthi depots and sites related to missile launches and aerial surveillance.