Ansarullah leader: US prolongs Yemen conflict for profit

SANAA -- The leader of Yemen's popular Ansarullah resistance movement said the United States was deliberately prolonging the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe in war-torn Yemen to reap huge profits from arms deals with Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, who are at involved in the devastating war. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi made the remarks in a televised address Thursday as people attended a ceremony in the Yemeni capital Sana'a to pay homage to the late head of Yemen's Supreme Political Council Saleh al-Sammad.

“The US is trying to take advantage of the ongoing crisis in Yemen. Washington has already made enormous war profits from arms deals [with the Riyadh regime and its allies]. US statesmen intend to establish a vassal state in Yemen to take control of the nation. They have no good intentions at all," Houthi said. He added that the US continues to torpedo any initiative by the Sultanate of Oman and others to restore nationwide peace and stability in Yemen. “The United States, Britain and the United Arab Emirates must make commitments in any future deal. Yemen's nature reserves have been occupied by the Saudi-led aggression coalition, and the alliance is responsible for withholding sales proceeds from Yemenis," Houthi said.

"We cannot accept the presence of occupying forces on Yemeni soil, as their deployment means interference in our internal affairs. We will spare no effort to expel the American and British occupying forces from our country," stressed the Ansarullah chief. Houthi added that Washington is directing the devastating military campaign against Yemen, stressing that the Riyadh and Abu Dhabi regimes are merely carrying out their orders. “It was the US that provoked Saudi officials into assassinating Sammad [in a drone strike in late April 2018]. Since the aggression began in March 2015, the Americans have also commanded Saudi-led bombing raids on various Yemeni regions,” he said.

“The Saudi coalition mistakenly thought they could break the will of the Yemeni nation through Sammad's targeted killing. The outcome was strikingly different than expected, and Sammad's assassination made Yemenis more determined and courageous in their fight against aggressors," the Ansarullah leader said. Houthi also condemned the level of brutality by the Saudi-led coalition, stating: "The aggressive alliance has committed absolutely appalling crimes and atrocities in Yemen, under the auspices of the US, the Israeli regime and Britain. Nothing can justify their crimes.”