Houthi official says US offered to recognize Sanaa government; US official denies claim
Adds details, background, U.S. comment
CAIRO, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. offered to recognize the Houthi government in Sanaa in a bid to stop the Yemeni rebel group's attacks, a senior Houthi official said on Monday, in remarks that a U.S. official said were false.
The Houthi official's remarkscame a day after a ballistic missile from the Iran-aligned group reached central Israel for the first time, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say Israel would inflict a "heavy price" on them.
"There is always communication after every operation we conduct," Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement's political bureau, told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV. "These calls are based on either threats or presenting some temptations, but they have given up to achieve any accomplishment in that direction."
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the remarks "a total fabrication."
Al-Bukhaiti said the calls after attacks included some from the U.S. and the United Kingdom indirectly through mediators and that the threats included direct U.S. military intervention against countries that intervene militarily "in support of Gaza."
Beside attacks on Israel, the Yemeni group has also continued to launch attacks on ships they say are linked or bound to Israel in support of Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.
The Houthis have damaged more than 80 ships in missile and drone attacks since November, sinking two vessels, seizing another and killing at least three crew members.
The war in the Gaza Strip started after Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack on Israel which left 1,200 people killed and around 250 foreign and Israelis taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent offensive on Gaza has so far killed 41,226 Palestinians and wounded 95,413 others, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Yemen has been embroiled in years of civil war. In 2014, the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and ousted the internationally recognized government. In January, the United States put the Houthis back on its list of terrorist groups.
Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Muhammad Al Gebaly, additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Mark Porter and Deepa Babington
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
