Houthi Leader Marks 2014 Takeover Anniversary With Call to End Saudi Blockade

The leader of Yemen's Houthi movement used the anniversary of his group's seizure of the capital to press Saudi Arabia to end its military campaign and the blockade imposed on rebel-held territory.

In a pre-recorded address broadcast on Sunday afternoon by the Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite channel, Abdul Malik al-Houthi said his movement's demands included halting what he described as Saudi "aggression" and lifting the restrictions the Saudi-led coalition has maintained for roughly a decade.

"Stop the aggression against our people and end this unjust, oppressive blockade," al-Houthi said, calling the measures an occupation of the country. He described the demands as fair by any standard and as legitimate claims belonging to Yemen's people.

In a second excerpt from the speech, al-Houthi said Yemenis were committed to a genuine cause rather than an imagined one, adding that they understand the injustice they have endured and place their trust in God.

The Houthis moved out of their northern stronghold in September 2014, overrunning Sanaa and forcing the internationally recognised government to flee south and later into exile in Saudi Arabia. The following year, Riyadh assembled a multinational coalition that entered the conflict seeking to restore the government, and the coalition imposed an air and sea blockade on areas under Houthi control as part of its war effort.

The anniversary address comes as the conflict, which has drawn in regional powers and left the Houthis aligned with Iran, remains unresolved more than a decade after the coalition intervened.