Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned on Saturday against “the risks of generalized war” after American strikes against Houthi rebel sites in Yemen. “We have just seen the war spread to another country, within a zone itself in extreme tension,” declared the rebellious leader.
The rebellious leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned on Saturday against “the risks of generalized war” after American strikes against Houthi rebel sites in Yemen, during an intervention at the Economic Days of the La Boétie Institute, which he presides. “The United States of America, the Anglo-Saxon world has struck in Yemen. We think what we want about the Houthis, we think what we want about Yemen, we think what we want about the conflict with the Emirates. The truth is that we have just seen the war extend to another country, within a zone itself in extreme tension,” declared Jean-Luc Mélenchon, in his speech introduction to these Economic Days.
In the context of the war between Israel and Hamas, tension has risen in the Red Sea in recent weeks with attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen targeting maritime traffic in solidarity with the Gaza Strip. The American army carried out a new strike on Saturday against Houthi rebel sites, after first American and British strikes on Friday. The Houthis, who control large areas of Yemen, have stepped up their threats against international maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
“The risks of generalized war are growing”
For the former presidential candidate, “nothing indicates that the situation is going to calm down. On the contrary, the risks of generalized war are increasing,” he warned. He also stressed that “we are going to have an economic and financial impact which will not be negligible”.
The La Boétie institute is a foundation of La France insoumise, which aims to be a meeting place for anti-capitalist intellectuals, a source of thematic notes and an activist training school. It organizes two days of conferences, Saturday and Sunday, on “the economy serving needs”.