The Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen said on December 9 that they will start targeting any ship passing through the Red Sea en route to Israel, regardless of whether the ship’s ownership is linked to the country, in response to the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
The Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen including much of the country’s Red Sea coast, are part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” which is backed by Iran and opposes Israel.
The group has fired several missiles and drones at the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat since the beginning of the war in Gaza. It has also assaulted a number of ships, thus far targeting vessels allegedly owned by Israeli firms or with ties to Israeli businessmen.
“If Gaza does not receive the food and medicine it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed forces,” Brigade General Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Houthi, said in a statement.
The spokesman added that the Houthis would “prevent [passage of] all the ships heading to the Zionist entity from any nationality, if the food and medicine [are prevented from entering] the Gaza Strip.”
“Out of concern for the safety of maritime navigation, we warn all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports,” Brig. Gen. Sari said, noting that this was “as a result of the Zionist enemy’s ongoing horrific massacres, genocide, and siege against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Houthi official Mohammed Ali al-Houthi said in his post announcing the measure that “no American or other” military forces have the “right” to accompany Israeli ships or ships heading to Israel.
The Hamas Movement, the main target of the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza, welcomed the Houthis announcement, calling it a “bold decision.” It also urged Arab and Islamic countries to fulfill their historic responsibility to break the blockade on the Strip. .
United States Navy warships have shot down a number of missiles and drones headed their way that are believed to have been launched by the Houthis from Yemen. However, it has not launched an attack against the group, yet.
In addition, the Biden administration urged Israel not to respond to recent attacks by the Houthis, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal.
The Houthis decision to target ships bound to Israel will lead to more escalation in the Red Sea. A confrontation between the group and the U.S. is very likely.