Italy to become target should it join attacks vs Yemen–Houthi leader
Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, walks after an interview with Reuters in Sanaa, Yemen August 1, 2018. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
ROME — Italy will become a target if it takes part in attacks against Yemen, a senior official from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said in an interview published on Monday.
Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi’s supreme revolutionary committee, told daily La Repubblica that Italy must be neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and put pressure on Israel to stop attacks on Gaza, adding that would be the only way to achieve peace in the region.
READ: US, Britain wage strikes against Iran-linked Houthis in Yemen
Italy said on Friday it would provide the admiral in command of a European Union Red Sea naval mission it has joined to protect ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militia.
The mandate of the mission, which will be launched in mid-February, will be to protect commercial ships and intercept attacks, but not take part in strikes against the Houthis, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said.
