Joining us now for the program is Hussein Abu Khaiti, activist and political commentator from Sana'a, and Kevin Barrett, author and Middle East expert, joining us from Missoula, Montana. Gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you both to the broadcast here.
I guess we'll start there in the Yemeni capital with you, Hussein. Hope you're doing well this evening. Your initial thoughts about these latest operations against U.S. and Israeli linked or directly owned vessels?
Hussein Abu Khaiti: We've seen from the statement of Yahya Saray, the spokesperson of Yemeni army. He has spoken about three targets. One is a commercial ship called Conship Ono, which belongs to a shipping company that has actually violated the Yemeni ban to enter port in occupied Palestine.
And the two other attacks have targeted two U.S. destroyers when they were trying to cross the Yemeni army operation zone. They have seen the clear message that any type of military movement from the United States will be faced by those attacks till they stop targeting Yemen. And they should stop as well supporting the Zionist state of Israel.
We have noticed that since Yemen has launched and started their attack against Israel and formed a blockade we've seen that the United States could not hold their battleship, and especially their aircraft carrier, in the region.
They have actually sent the aircraft carrier Roosevelt, but it's still far away in the Indian Ocean. They are not daring to come close to Yemen. And I believe the Yemeni army who actually started to use anti-ship ballistic missiles, are one of the first armies to start using mass attacks using drones, especially when they did that against Saudi Arabia and against targets in the Red Sea. I think that we have reached the end of an era for the aircraft carrier, because now it's clear that with simple weapons you can stop the United States and their “most powerful aircraft carrier in the world.” Because especially Yemenis (dominate) the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. That's why it's so dangerous for the United States military, either destroyers or aircraft carriers, to operate in our region.
And I believe that this type of attack will continue. Of course, the United States will never admit that any of these drones or missiles have hit their target, because at the beginning they have failed to stop the Yemeni attack. They have failed to keep a major presence in in our region like they did at the beginning when they formed the so-called Prosperity Guardian. They had to withdraw their aircraft carrier from our region. That's why I believe they will not actually admit any attack. But at some point I believe that Yemen will be the first country actually to sink a U.S. destroyer, and I'm sure that they are planning to do so.
Yemenis have sent a clear message that those attacks will continue as long as United States keep supporting the Zionist state in killing Palestinian people, they will continue their attack on forming a blockade against the Zionist state of Israel.
Thank you, Hussein. And before I introduce and welcome Dr. Barrett to the conversation, for our viewers that don't know, the Yemenis have since mid-November, or was it mid-October, started carrying out retaliatory attacks against Israeli-linked vessels. Their argument is that if there's a siege on Gaza and Israelis are not letting humanitarian aid get into the besieged strip, and essential goods that Gazans need for sustenance is denied them, then we're not going to let the Israelis use the waterways that pass right in front of Yemen to receive goods at occupied ports in occupied Palestine.
Joining us now is Dr. Barrett from Missoula, Montana. Your thoughts, Dr. Barrett? All the U.S. and U.K. retaliatory attacks against Yemen for going after dozens upon dozens of Israeli-linked vessels have not deterred the Yemenis from standing with Palestinians against this genocide in Gaza.
Kevin Barrett: That's right. The Americans have not been able to carry through with their avowed mission to basically control all of the world's seas, keep them open for the shipping that they approve of, and then potentially shut them down any time that they so desire. That's basically the backbone of the supposed current unipolar world order. The United States claims that it has the ability to keep seas open when it wants to and then close them when it wants to. And that sea power has ruled the world since the time of the British Empire.
But things are changing now, and the Houthi regime in Yemen, the Ansar Allah movement, is in the forefront of this global change. They have had the courage to take on the world's most powerful empire. One would think that they're severely undermatched, but with the new military technology that allows for the use of these relatively inexpensive rockets and drones that can be used to put pressure on vastly more expensive platforms and incredibly expensive defensive platforms—and then also ultimately the ability to sink these ships if necessary with slightly upgraded weapons—it turns the American patrols all over the world, but particularly in this region, into sitting ducks. They're suddenly hostages, just as the American bases in the region are de facto hostages now as well, given the advance in military power around these rockets and drones.
So there's a change going on now in the balance of power around the world. It's not just that the global south is getting stronger and turning against the American empire due to its support for genocide in Palestine, but it's also that the actual weaponry has changed and sea power is no longer the way to control the world unopposed.
And the Yemenis are incredibly brave and persistent. No matter what the Americans and their stooges and the Zionists do to them, they continue to put this pressure on global shipping. The economic cost is massive, and I'm sure they're going to continue no matter how the Americans choose to respond to this.
If I can put your words, Dr. Barrett, to Hussein Abu Khaiti. Hussein, Dr. Barrett made some interesting points. The Yemenis that have said this time and again, (as well as) the resistance out of Lebanon and Hezbollah out of Iraq. They've all said that they're only using a fraction of their military power, and that if the (Zionist) regime really wants to push for escalation, they are ready to use much more sophisticated weaponry. Isn't that the case?
Hussein Abu Khaiti: Yeah, this is exactly the case. As an example, we remember during the Saudi nine years of war and blockade against Yemen, which was supported as well by United States and UK, Yemenis actually start using their weapons against Saudi Arabia, and their types of drones and missiles gradually (improved).
They didn't actually use the latest missiles or the latest drones. If they do at the beginning use, as they say, all their cards, this means they are exposing to the enemy what types of weapons they have. As an example, the anti-ship ballistic missiles, which were used for the first time in history in Yemen—I believe they were actually tested and were ready during the Saudi war against Yemen, because Yemenis clearly believed that at one point we're going to be facing the United States. And especially now we have seen that the attack against Gaza has actually made Yemenis start their attack against the Zionist state.
And I believe that in the coming 24 hours to 48 hours, I believe that there will be, or there could be, a major joint military operation from Yemen, from Iraq, from Lebanon, from Iran, as a retaliation of the killing of Ismail Haniyeh. And this could be actually one of the biggest messages toward Israel, as well as a clear message to all Islamic nations and Arab nations that they should unite.
We see that United States is supporting Israel, giving weapons to Israel, so why won’t our countries support the Palestinian people? We cannot send weapons to help the Palestinian people or to Gaza, but we send missiles and drones to target the Zionist state.
Thank you. We don't have much time left. Dr. Barrett, I really want to get this last question out to you, sir, if I may. Considering that many feel that Israelis, this Netanyahu regime, do not have any inclination to end this genocide taking place in Gaza, they haven't really done much as far as mediation goes and ceasefire talks. And after Ismail Haniyeh's assassination, to Hussein's point, what kind of tensions do you see on the horizon in not the distant but the very near future in the region?
Well, Netanyahu is totally reckless, has no interest in a deal. I think the Israeli government, unfortunately, is not all that different from Netanyahu. I think that the extremist forces have taken over in the Zionist entity, and they're gambling on a kind of last existential battle to try to desperately save their doomed settler colonial project.
And so I think that when the retaliation comes from Iran for the dastardly murder of Ismail Haniyeh, and from Lebanon for the death and murder of Fuad Shukur, supported, of course, by other members of the Axis of Resistance and supported by people all over the Arab and Islamic worlds and the Global South, supported strongly in their hearts and by whatever means that they can find to actually support this despite the inaction of many of their governments. (When the retaliation comes) I think we're going to see the genocidal Zionist entity increasingly isolated. And it's going to face a very difficult situation. Because I don't believe the Americans are going to tell them to go ahead and do anything that they want.
So I think the Zionists have backed themselves into a corner by this crazy strategy of murdering their negotiating partners and committing blatant genocide against women and children, even while they can't win a battle against people who actually fight back.
They're losing in Gaza. Obviously, hey can't take on Lebanon, much less Lebanon plus Iran plus Iraq plus Yemen plus all of the people of the region, the Islamic world, and the global south.
They've bitten off more than they can chew.
Their arrogance knows no bounds, and they've gone past the borderline. They've crossed all the red lines, and they're going to get what's coming to them.
And we may see a beginning of that very soon.
Yemeni army targets two American destroyers and an Israel-bound vessel