FACT CHECK: No, Houthis Have Not Ceased Operations In International Waters Following Trump’s Victory

A viral post shared on X claims the Houthi rebels have ceased operations in international waters following Donald Trump being elected as the 47th president of the United States of America.

LMAO 🤣
As soon as Trump won, the Iranian-backed Houthis have folded 👇
_ pic.twitter.com/C21OxYCvlJ

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 6, 2024

Verdict: False

The claim is false. Video statements shared by Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree on Nov. 3 and 7 indicate the group is still operating in international waters.

Fact Check:

Houthi rebels reportedly shot down what they said was an American drone Friday, according to The Associated Press. The U.S. military is investigating the incident, the outlet indicated.

The X post, viewed over 500,000 times, claims the Houthi rebels have ceased operations in international waters following Trump being elected as the 47th president of the United States of America.

“LMAO As soon as Trump won, the Iranian-backed Houthis have folded,” the post reads. The post features a photo showing what appears to be a Houthi spokesperson followed by a quote claiming the group has ceased operations in international waters. “Our operations in international waters were purely defensive, and we announce their final cessation,” the quote reads.

The claim is false. A Nov. 7 video statement shared on X by Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree indicates the group has not ceased operations in international waters.

“Mr. Leader: Our operations continue in the seas and deep in the occupied territories, with a decision to deal with the camouflage operations of Israeli ships,” the video’s caption states.

السيد القائد:
عملياتنا مستمرة في البحار وفي عمق الأراضي المحتلة مع قرار للتعامل مع عمليات التمويه للسفن الإسرائيلية..#حاضرون_في_كل_الميادين#سيد_القول_والفعل#مع_غزة_ولبنان pic.twitter.com/qTSr9o3net

— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21ye) November 7, 2024

A Nov. 3 video statement shared on X by Saree also appears to indicate the group is still operating in international waters.

“Statement of the Yemeni Armed Forces regarding warning shipping companies against purchasing the assets and properties of Israeli shipping companies because they will remain within the punitive measures imposed by the Republic of Yemen on those ships and companies,” the statement reads.

Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. Both Misbar and Full Fact have debunked the claim. (RELATED: No Evidence Of 20 Million ‘Missing’ Votes, Total Will Likely Be Similar To 2020 Despite Claims)

Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States of America, defeating his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Nov. 5.