A military adviser to Yemen’s Defense Ministry warned on Wednesday that any U.S. military intervention in the Yemen conflict or attempt to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait would trigger retaliation against U.S. interests in the region, AFP reported on Friday. “If America dares to intervene militarily with its fleet or attempts to control Bab al-Mandab, this will be our red line and that of everyone else, and we will fight over it,” said Brigadier General Abed Mohammed Al-Thawr, military adviser to Yemen’s Defense Ministry, said. “If America gambles on supporting Saudi Arabia with airstrikes or air support ... We will consider any American interests around us to be targets and we will not exclude anything,” Al-Thawr told AFP, adding that the group would “close Bab el-Mandeb completely to American ships.”

Al-Thawr reportedly denied receiving directives from Iran, but said they were “one alliance and one body.”