Houthi leader criticizes ISIS, AQAP, calls for jihad

Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, criticized al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS on Thursday for failing to launch attacks against Israel, while calling for “the revival of jihad” among Muslims.

In a televised speech on Al-Masirah TV, Al-Houthi said: "Where are these organizations and groups today? Why don't we see their attacks against the Zionist enemy? Where are the suicide bombers? Everything has vanished."

Al-Houthi declared that jihad is the "only way to eliminate Israel from existence”, linking his militia’s attacks on ships to what he termed the "Yemeni jihad," and promised that such operations would continue and escalate in the coming period.

He also issued a warning to his opponents in Yemen, vowing to use "surprising weapons" on land similar to those deployed at sea, and urged ongoing military mobilization in the country’s north.

Al-Houthi called for mass demonstrations on Friday in Sanaa and other cities under Houthi control to renew popular support for the group.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council have accused the Houthis of collaborating with AQAP, claiming they provide weapons to the group. These allegations have gained traction since AQAP began using drones against Southern forces in Shabwa and Abyan in May 2023. Experts have raised concerns about increasing cooperation between the Houthis and AQAP amid the ongoing Gaza conflict and their shared opposition to Israel and the United States.