Houthis, Iraqi factions rally behind Iran as region braces for spillover

Shafaq News/ Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) and Iraqi armed factions issued strong statements Friday condemning Israel’s attacks on Iranian territory and warning that the conflict risks engulfing the region.

The Houthi government in Sanaa, which is not internationally recognized, denounced the Israeli strikes as a joint “Israeli-American aggression” and declared its full support for Iran. Zaid al-Gharasi, head of media and cultural affairs in the Houthi presidency, told Shafaq News that the attack “is not an isolated incident, but part of a larger project targeting the entire Islamic world.”

“We in Yemen stand firmly with the Islamic Republic of Iran and support its full right to defend itself,” al-Gharasi said. He urged “all free people of the world” to show practical solidarity with Iran.

Al-Gharasi warned Arab governments that have normalized ties with Israel, saying, “This aggression is not in your interest. Your turn will come.” He framed the Israeli assault as punishment for Iran’s support for the Palestinian resistance and called for a “strong and decisive” Iranian response. “Deterrence is the only language the enemy understands,” he said.

He also urged all groups within the so-called Axis of Resistance to unite at this “critical moment” to confront what he described as a Zionist-American plan to divide the region and suppress opposition forces.

In Iraq, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, a key Iran-aligned armed faction, also warned that the Israeli escalation “will not pass without consequences.” Speaking to Shafaq News, group spokesman Sheikh Kazem al-Fartousi said the Israeli assault is “not just aimed at Iran but the entire region.” He added, “Iraq will not remain passive if the situation continues to escalate. All wars against the Zionist entity [Israel] fall within the framework of defending the causes of the ummah, and Iraq is part of that equation.”

The statements followed Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, striking Iranian nuclear and military targets in multiple provinces, including Tehran. Official sources in Iran reported the deaths of high-ranking IRGC officers and nuclear scientists, prompting Iran to launch hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israeli targets in response.

The regional fallout continued to deepen, with Iraq’s government declaring full airspace closure and suspending all flights. Government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi described the Israeli action as “a blatant violation of international law” that threatens “the security and peace of the entire region.” He called on the United Nations Security Council to convene urgently to adopt a firm stance against the escalating crisis.

Separately, influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for Iraq to remain neutral and avoid being drawn into the conflict.