Yemenis Stage Mass Protests in Support of Palestinians amid Ongoing Israeli War
Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis rallied across major cities on Friday afternoon to express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and denounce Israeli military actions and US strikes on Yemen.
Yemenis resumed large-scale demonstrations across the country on Friday to show support for Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Protesters gathered in the capital Sana’a and other cities including Sa’ada, Bayda, Hajjah, and Dhale, raising both Palestinian and Yemeni flags.
They chanted slogans condemning what they described as Israeli crimes in Gaza and US aggression targeting Yemen.
“Our rightful stance honors us, and we will strike whoever targets us,” demonstrators chanted.
“Oh Gaza, oh Palestine, we are with you until the Day of Judgment,” echoed crowds in unison.
A statement from protest organizers, titled “Jihad, steadfastness and heroism… We will not abandon Gaza,” reaffirmed the country’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
“The US aggression will not weaken the Yemeni people’s resolve, but will instead strengthen their determination to back Palestine,” the statement read.
“In Gaza, you couldn’t recover a single captive and you haven’t eliminated the resistance. And in Yemen, you haven’t allowed a single ship to pass, and you haven’t stopped our operations,” it added, referencing joint US-Israeli efforts.
Protesters also called on Arab and Muslim nations to break their silence and take meaningful steps to support Palestinians in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemeni forces have launched numerous operations in support of Palestinians, targeting locations within Israeli-occupied territories as well as Israeli-bound vessels.
In December 2023, the United States announced the formation of a maritime task force in the Red Sea to secure navigation for ships headed toward Israeli ports.
In response, Yemeni forces escalated their attacks on high-value Israeli and US targets, including American warships and aircraft carriers stationed off Yemen’s coast.
Yemeni strikes were temporarily suspended following a ceasefire that began on January 19.
However, the operations resumed after Israel broke the ceasefire in March.
