Yemen's Foreign Minister confirms not to take "escalatory measures" after the truce fell

Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak affirmed, Wednesday, in Rabat, that no escalatory measures have been taken, after the failure to extend the armistice agreement with the Houthi rebels, after its effects expired on Sunday evening.

"We are still keen to preserve all the gains made for the Yemeni people" during the armistice period, Ben Mubarak said at a press conference at his country's embassy in Morocco, where he is on an official visit.

He added, "Therefore, we did not take any escalatory measures, although al-Houthi announced the transformation of the Red Sea region into a military area, and issued direct warnings to the ships."

The six-month truce in Yemen expired on Sunday evening without extending it, raising fears of a resurgence of military escalation in the country.

And it caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people directly or because of its repercussions, according to the United Nations.

"We are keen to renew the truce and to put all problems on the dialogue table," he added.

But he accused the Houthis of having "a major interest in the war because it is a source of enrichment for their leaders," according to him.

He also accused the armed group's leadership of having "collected nearly $200 million (from the revenues of the port of Hodeidah), whose fate we do not know," during the armistice period.

He also renewed its accusation of "imposing war in implementation of Iran's expansionist agenda in the region."

The Houthis rejected the plan of the UN envoy, Hans Grundberg, to extend the armistice.

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