The Iran-backed Houthi militia “unabashedly” showcased their “appalling anti-American and anti-Semitic rhetoric” during a police academy graduation ceremony in Yemen’s Sanaa.
A video shared on Twitter shows uniformed men holding the Nazi salute and chanting, “Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse the Jews.”
“Rather than looking like militias in traditional attire, Iran-backed Houthis seek to appear as [a] uniformed & professionalized force. Either way, it is to brutally repress the population in Yemen,” observers said.
Yemen’s embassy called on the international community to condemn the Houthis’ “brazen” and “hateful” behavior, adding that the group will turn the country into a police state if they are not stopped.
In recent weeks, the militia has been ramping up its efforts to strike Saudi Arabia and several areas in Yemen outside its control.
Iran has been backing the Houthis in Yemen’s civil war against the internationally-recognized government.
Currently, the Houthis control the Yemeni capital Sanaa, while the official government is based in the city of Aden.
