Mass Rally in Sana’a and provinces in Loyalty to Martyrs & to affirm support for Gaza

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Yemeni capital Sana’a on Friday afternoon for a massive rally, reaffirming their support for Gaza and vowing to continue their military campaign despite recent Israeli airstrikes on the city.

Protesters, waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags, marched under banners that read, “In faithfulness to the martyrs… we will not retreat in supporting Gaza, whatever the sacrifices.” The rally served as a show of defiance following a deadly Israeli strike earlier this week that hit a media facility and residential area in Sana’a.

Speakers at the event, including senior official Mohammad Miftah, framed the conflict in starkly religious terms. Miftah addressed “the global criminal alliance” directly, stating, “We will not submit to you today, we will not kneel, and we will not be humiliated when you target civilians.” He accused Israel of committing “the worst and most horrific crimes” in Gaza and criticized Arab and Muslim nations for their perceived inaction and submission to the United States.

The rally also functioned as a show of regional alignment. Protesters chanted in solidarity with Qatar, condemning a recent Israeli strike on Hamas officials in Doha as a violation of sovereignty, and expressed support for Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, framing the struggle as a unified battle against a common enemy.

A final statement read aloud to the crowd declared Yemen’s actions were “for God and in His path” and represented “the most honorable and greatest battle” they were destined to fight. It praised the escalating military operations by Houthi forces against Israeli and allied targets, including recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which they characterized as a major defeat for the U.S. and U.K.

The statement concluded by acknowledging the challenges ahead but expressed unwavering confidence in divine support, stating, “With our trust in God… He will grant us the achievement of miracles and the conquering of tyrants.”

Yemen has launched numerous drones and missiles towards Israel and attacked its shipping in the Red Sea, stating its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.