The Houthis are mulling various options for possible escalation, he said. When asked whether the options included attacks against embassies and bases of the United Kingdom and the United States, Al-Bukhaiti told the broadcaster that "such operations are not on the table now," but the movement had "many options to escalate if there is American and British escalation that targets Yemeni civilians."
"If we had rockets and warplanes that could reach deep into the US and UK, of course, we would hit them without any hesitation, as long as they are attacking Yemen, this is a legitimate right for Yemen," he was quoted as saying by ITV News.
This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.