Yemeni gov't forces raise combat readiness after Houthi military parade

ADEN, Yemen, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni government forces on Saturday raised their combat readiness in response to a large military parade held by the Houthi rebels, state media reported.

The country's Defense Minister Mohsen al-Daari visited government forces in the southwestern province of Taiz, where he met with commanders to assess the preparedness for potential Houthi attacks, the state-run Saba news agency reported.

Following the visit, al-Daari emphasized the importance of boosting cohesion and morale among the forces and urged them to be on high alert for confronting any Houthi actions.

The decision to raise combat readiness comes two days after a large military parade organized by thousands of Houthi fighters in the country's central province of Ibb, which is adjacent to Taiz.

During the parade, Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Houthis' Supreme Political Council, delivered a speech in which he vowed to continue fighting for "freedom, independence, and full sovereignty" for Yemen. He also promised to introduce advanced weapons in the "next battle."

The Yemeni government's decision to raise combat readiness reflects growing concerns over the possibility of renewed conflict with the Houthis.

Yemen's civil war flared in late 2014 when the Houthi group seized control over much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government out of the capital Sanaa.