Posts falsely claim Huthis declared ceasefire after Trump victory

"Huthi spokesman: Our operations in international waters were defensive only and we announce their final cessation," says a November 6, 2024 X post in Arabic.

Similar claims gained traction in English across platforms such as Threads, Instagram and Facebook -- usually accompanied by images of what appear to be a press conference held by a Yemeni army officer.

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A collage of social media screenshots taken November 18, 2024

But the claims are false.

A reverse image search indicates the officer in the image shared on social media is Yahya Saree, a Huthi military spokesman (archived here). The picture appears to stem from a 2023 press conference (archived here).

AFP has previously debunked claims about the Huthis using the same image.

Huthi rebels have maintained their attacks in international waters since Trump won the 2024 US presidential election -- and the group's leader has confirmed the outcome will not change its military strategy.

The Huthis unsuccessfully targeted two US warships with drones and missiles in the Red Sea on November 12. The group has targeted vessels navigating international waters since November 2023 in attacks they claim are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Huthi leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi said November 7, 2024 that Trump's reelection would not affect the rebels' operations against Israel and its allies' shipping activities, adding that the group will continue to target US vessels transiting the Red Sea (archived here).

Huthi also criticized Trump for supporting Israel. He said Trump-brokered deals between Arab countries and Israel had failed to bring an end to conflict in the Middle East and that he would fail again in his second term.

Trump leads a fiercely pro-Israel Republican Party and has named an ambassador to Israel who opposes the creation of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. The Biden-Harris administration has said it supports a two-state solution but also drew criticism from the left of the Democratic Party for backing Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza.

AFP has debunked other claims about the US presidential election here.