Military force will only be used against Houthi militias when they harm American citizens, U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee told an Israeli TV interview.
The Iran-backed Islamist group would face retaliation if it harmed Americans, around 700,000 of whom live in Israel. The suggestion comes after President Donald Trump seemed to isolate the Jewish state from his Yemen policy by agreeing an informal non-aggression pact with the ‘capitulating’ Houthis earlier this week.
Huckabee declared “If they hurt an American, then it becomes our business.” For the Israelis, this is troubling as they are facing repeat waves of drone and missile attacks, at least one of which brought Ben Gurion, the main airport, to a standstill.
In full, Mr Huckabee told Israel’s Channel 12 news:
Here’s what I can tell you, because I had a conversation with both the president and the vice president last night. There are 700,000 Americans living in Israel. If the Houthis want to continue doing things to Israel and they hurt an American, then it becomes our business.”
