Egypt Daily News – The Houthis in Yemen announced on Tuesday that they would resume their attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea and even the Arabian Sea unless the “crossings to Gaza” are reopened. This escalation comes at a time when negotiations over the next phases of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have stalled, amid worsening humanitarian conditions for the residents of the Strip.
The Houthis in Yemen will resume attacks targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea and extending to the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, until, according to their claim, the “crossings leading to Gaza” are reopened.
In a recorded statement, Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced that the “ban on the passage of all Israeli ships will cover the operational area extending across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, in addition to Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden.”
Saree stated that this decision was made “after the deadline set by” the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, expired last Friday.
Al-Houthi had previously threatened to resume targeting ships if Israel prevented the entry of food and medical aid into Gaza within a four-day period.
This coincided with Israel’s announcement of suspending aid entry into the Strip amid disagreements over the next phases of the ceasefire agreement, sparking widespread criticism due to the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, home to 2.4 million people.
Before the Gaza ceasefire was reached, the Houthis had carried out dozens of strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea since October 7, 2023, using missiles and drones, claiming the attacks were in support of Gaza.
Saree reaffirmed the ban on Israeli ships “effective immediately upon the announcement of this statement,” stressing that it would remain in force “until the crossings to Gaza are reopened and aid, including food and medicine, is allowed in.”
He warned that “any Israeli ship attempting to break this ban will be targeted within the declared operational area.”
This escalation comes after the United States recently reclassified the Houthi group “Ansar Allah” as a foreign terrorist organization and imposed sanctions on seven of its senior leaders.
