Houthi Chief Negotiator: Attacks on Ships in Red Sea Won't Affect Peace Talks with Saudi Arabia

RIYADH - The chief negotiator for Yemen's Houthi movement, Mohammed Abdulsalam, stated on Thursday that the group's attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea do not pose a threat to ongoing peace talks with Saudi Arabia. Abdulsalam attributed the regional conflict escalation to Israel's actions in Gaza.

The Houthi movement, which is aligned with Iran and controls a significant portion of Yemen after years of war against a Western-backed and Saudi-led coalition, has shown strong support for Hamas during its conflict with Israel.

The group has been targeting commercial ships it believes are linked to Israel or heading towards Israeli ports. They have also engaged directly with U.S. Navy forces in the Red Sea by launching ballistic missiles and deploying armed drones against American and British warships.

Abdulsalam emphasized that these attacks in the Red Sea have no impact on the ongoing peace process between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, mediated by Oman and the United Nations. He stated to Reuters that "It has nothing to do with what is happening in the Gaza Strip unless Americans want to involve other countries in defending Israel."

Gulf and Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, have been urging Washington for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as they fear further escalation beyond its borders.

Abdulsalam stressed that their objective is to pressure Israel and America into a ceasefire while calling for an end to the siege on Gaza. He expressed their desire for progress towards peace through dialogue.

While the UN Security Council recently demanded an immediate halt to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, implicitly supporting a U.S.-led task force defending vessels while cautioning against escalating tensions, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi of Houthi's supreme revolutionary committee dismissed it as a "political game." He accused the United States of violating international law.