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AP Interview: Hezbollah's No. 2 lashes out at Saudi Arabia over its airstrikes in Yemen

Associated Press
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The deputy chief of Hezbollah, Sheik Naim Kassem, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the Shiite group’s stronghold in southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, April 13, 2015. Kassem said Saudi Arabia made a “strategic mistake” by interfering in the internal affairs of Yemen suggesting that more than two weeks of Saudi-led airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in that country have failed to produce results. He also said Saudi Arabia is committing “genocide” in Yemen and will pay a heavy price for its involvement. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

The deputy chief of Hezbollah, Sheik Naim Kassem, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the Shiite group’s stronghold in southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, April 13, 2015. Kassem said Saudi Arabia made a “strategic mistake” by interfering in the internal affairs of Yemen suggesting that more than two weeks of Saudi-led airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in that country have failed to produce results. He also said Saudi Arabia is committing “genocide” in Yemen and will pay a heavy price for its involvement. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

The deputy chief of Hezbollah, Sheik Naim Kassem, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the Shiite group’s stronghold in southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, April 13, 2015. Kassem said Saudi Arabia made a “strategic mistake” by interfering in the internal affairs of Yemen suggesting that more than two weeks of Saudi-led airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in that country have failed to produce results. He also said Saudi Arabia is committing “genocide” in Yemen and will pay a heavy price for its involvement. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

Hezbollah's deputy chief says Saudi Arabia is committing "genocide" in Yemen and will pay a heavy price for its airstrikes campaign on the Arabian Peninsula country.

Sheikh Naim Kassem says the kingdom made a "strategic mistake" by interfering in Yemen's affairs.

More than two weeks of Saudi-led airstrikes targeting Yemen's Shiite rebels known as Houthis have failed to stop the rebel power grab.

Kassem, who spoke to The Associated Press in an interview Monday in the Shiite group's stronghold in southern Beirut, suggested that the situation inside Saudi Arabia could implode as a result of its "aggression" in Yemen.

He also urges the kingdom to "return to its senses" and halt the airstrikes, and accuses it of supporting al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen.