The head of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of the Houthis in Yemen has confirmed that the group has upgraded Russian and Korean missiles. Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi pointed out that they have a wide range of options available to fight back against Saudi Arabia.

“We are developing missile that have been made in Russia and Korea, and not in Iran, and we are also manufacturing them,” Al-Houthi told France 24 TV. “We do not care if the aggressors believe it or not that we have a developing missile industry. What concerns us is to deter them.”

He stressed that the Houthis will use all available means in the Yemen conflict. “We have a wide range of options to deter aggression, for as long as it continues. It is shameful to condemn Yemeni missiles which are defending the Republic of Yemen while the world is silent about the genocidal crimes against the Yemeni people. If the enemy continues to attack our cities, to besiege and attack us, we promise them that they will have to face more than they had previously faced.”

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Al-Houthi dismissed claims that his group is supported by Iran: “If we had the alleged Iranian support, we would have been in Riyadh today. If we had the Iranian technology, we would have used it to target the enemies starting from the first day.”

As an ongoing deterrent, he said, the Houthis will continue to target facilities operated by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Aramco. “The Yemeni people will neutralise the largest economic project in Saudi Arabia which is Aramco, and it will affect the Neom project.” This was a reference to the proposed economic zone and “transnational” city to be constructed between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt. It is a project much favoured by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.

“We tell the British, the Europeans and the Americans to stop supporting Saudi Arabia so that it will stop its aggression against us,” Al-Houthi added. “We are present on the outskirts of the city of Najran and we have made great progress in Jizan and ‘Asir. We are following a long-term policy, and we are working on draining the enemy.”

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The Houthi leader pointed out that Saudi Arabia is making successive arm deals and this is evidence of the depletion of its military resources. “The Saudi economy is now unstable, and Saudi Arabia is looking for bonds to cover its fiscal deficit and to raise taxes and the price of oil it that sells to its own people.”

Al-Houthi condemned claims that his group is full of warmongers and not peace-makers. “Abdul-Malik Badreddin Al-Houthi’s meeting with the new UN envoy, Martin Griffith, was aimed at advancing the peace process and achieving positive results,” he noted. “Furthermore, we are ready and willing to release and exchange all prisoners if others are ready to do so, and this is what the suggestion that I have put forward is about.”