Iran's religious leader praises Houthi militia's attacks

Iran's religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has praised the Houthi militia's campaign of attacks against Israel and in support of the Palestinians.

"The nation of Yemen and Ansar Allah have indeed done a great job," the state news agency IRNA quoted the 84-year-old as saying on Tuesday. Ansar Allah, Arabic for Supporters of God, is the official name of the Houthi movement.

Their work is proof of the struggle on God's path, he said. "We hope that these efforts will lead to victory," the supreme leader and head of state continued, according to IRNA.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked ships with an alleged Israeli connection in the Red Sea.

Large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the route. The United States and Britain recently attacked the group's positions in Yemen because of their actions.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only country in the world that maintains official diplomatic relations with the Houthis. The Shiite group is part of the so-called "Axis of Resistance," a network in the fight against Israel. Israel speaks of an "Axis of Evil."

The Jewish state has been Iran's declared arch-enemy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.