The United States had asked for permission to conduct operations against the Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis, from its naval base in Djibouti, but was refused, Prime Minister of the African country Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed said in an interview with Western media on Friday.
"It’s been very clear since the beginning. We do not want to be brought into a war. The US is there, and we have told them ‘be careful, don’t bring the war here’," the PM was quoted as saying.
According to the prime minister, the United States requested permission to conduct operations from its base in Djibouti after the Houthis launched missile attacks in October.
According to the media outlet, Djibouti has allowed the United States to install an air defense system in the country to protect its base. At the same time, the US cannot launch reconnaissance UAVs from Djibouti to monitor the Houthis or launch missiles. In response to the refusal, the US launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, according to unnamed Djiboutian diplomats.
The Houthis control most of Yemen's Red Sea coast and have previously warned of their intention to attack any ships linked to Israel until the country halts its military actions in Gaza, urging other countries to recall their crews from such ships and not to approach them at sea. A number of shipping companies have decided to suspend transportation through the Red Sea.
The US and the UK have been striking Houthi targets since mid-January, calling it a response to threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. A member of the Houthis' high political council, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, described the Western attacks as "barbaric terrorism" and "deliberate and unjustified aggression."
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare’e warned at a press conference on Monday that the militia would escalate its campaign to a level the enemy "can’t even imagine" if Israel and its allies continue to cross Yemen’s "red lines."