(VOVworld) – The head of the Yemeni Shiite rebels, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, warned of escalating tension if Yemen’s President, Mansour Hadi, impedes political reforms.

Debris near the presidential palace following the fighting in Sana’a. (Photo: Getty Images)

In a speech on TV on Tuesday, al-Houthi said that all options were open and that the escalation had no ceiling if Hadi did not implement the UN-brokered peace deal reached last September. The rebel leader also accused Hadi of “protecting corruption” and pushing ahead with “the separation of Yemen,” reiterating his stance against the division of Yemen into 6 regions. He said that he was ready to face any sanctions by the UN Security Council and that no side would benefit from them.
The UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Monday regarding Yemen’s crisis, ending with a statement condemning the Houthis’ attack and coup in Sana’a. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an end to the violence and the full restoration of the Yemeni government’s authority.