Assistant Yemeni Defense Minister: Bab al-Mandab security is a responsibility and an issue that transcends Yemen

He pointed out that the Houthi group attempted to implement an agenda he said it was tasked with by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, noting the presence of experts from several countries on the ground working with Houthi forces.

He said that the Houthis are seeking to control Bab al-Mandab, considering that the issue does not concern Yemen alone, but rather the regional and international communities, due to what he described as the group's attempt to impose restrictions on trade and shipping.

Regarding the American position on developments in Yemen, Al-Haj said that the Yemenis are the ones who will decide the matter, not Washington, stressing that Yemeni forces are capable of recapturing the sites controlled by the Houthis.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the Iranian-backed Houthis asked the United States not to intervene in the conflict in Yemen, where they took control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait area on Friday after advancing at the expense of government forces.

Trump said during a visit to Ireland, "We have had discussions. The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight us," adding, "They don't want us to attack them." He added that "everything will go fine and wonderfully" in the region.

Al-Haj added that the international community is required to take a "clear, explicit, and strong" position, warning that the continuation of what he described as "soft" stances might allow the Houthi group to continue controlling the country.

Regarding the flaw that led to the fall of several areas into the hands of the Houthis and their control over the entire Yemeni Red Sea coast after they seized three strategic islands in a lightning attack, Al-Haj said that the military establishment is working to review the flaw, reorganize the forces, and reposition them, confirming that the Yemeni government and army are committed to recovering those sites.

He pointed out that there is Arab support for the Yemeni government and legitimacy, according to him, stressing the need for the Yemeni state to restore its sovereignty over its institutions.

Speaking about Iranian movements in the region, Al-Haj said that Iran has harmed the world and affected trade, considering that there is coordination between Iran and the Houthis in the region.

He said that Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and most Arab countries "are determined to build an alliance that protects the Arab nation and the Islamic nation from Iran's tampering."

Regarding the impact of the Houthi control of Bab al-Mandab on Yemeni legitimacy, Al-Haj said that continued control over the shipping lane will make trade "a hostage and subject to blackmail" by Iran and its Houthi allies, confirming that the group's stay will not last long, according to his assessment.

He stressed that the Yemeni military establishment is betting on the steadfastness and strength of the Yemeni army and its return and discipline, noting that the army has achieved victories in a number of areas.

He confirmed that the Yemeni army, government, and legitimacy are committed to recovering all areas controlled by the Houthis.

Yemeni government forces said on Saturday that they destroyed military equipment and killed Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in strikes on the coastal city of Mocha, which they had seized this week.

The state news agency "Saba" quoted the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Majed Al-Nuzaili, as saying that "the armed forces eliminated large gatherings of elements of the terrorist Houthi militias" near the port of Mocha, in addition to destroying military vehicles and weapons.

He added, "The armed forces eliminated gatherings of vehicles and elements of the terrorist Houthi militias on the Mocha-Dhubab line," 11 kilometers from the city of Mocha.

After a rapid week-long offensive, the Houthis completed their control of Yemen's western coasts on the Red Sea on Friday. They also took control of the four islands in the Bab al-Mandab area, a vital maritime navigation corridor.

The Houthis took control of Mocha on Thursday, allowing them to advance toward additional coastal areas located to the south of it.

The broad Houthi offensive since last week has led to the displacement of at least 46,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration, most of whom headed toward the city of Aden in southern Yemen, which the government made its headquarters after the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.