The leader of the Houthi group, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said Thursday that any American aggression against Yemen “will not go unanswered,” amid fears that the rebel group’s attacks could escalate Israel’s war against Hamas into a broader regional conflict.

Al-Houthi added in a speech on Thursday that the group’s response would be “much greater” than the barrage of drones and missiles this week that were launched at ships in the Red Sea.

Al-Houthi stressed: “The response will not only be to attack the Americans at sea with more than 24 drones and missiles, but rather the response will be much greater than that.”

The Houthi leader said that Yemen is ready to "confront the American aggression." He criticized the support of the United States and the United Kingdom for Israel, stressing that this "will not deter" his group's actions in Yemen.

Al-Houthi added that the strategy of preventing ships linked to Israel from crossing the Red Sea was effective, citing the recent American attack on the Houthi naval forces as evidence of this influence.

Moreover, Al-Houthi accused the United States and the United Kingdom of trying to involve other countries in the confrontation against Yemen, warning that those who target Yemen and its naval forces risk their maritime safety and commercial interests.