Houthis escalate threats against Israel-linked Shipping

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have announced a new phase of military operations against Israel, vowing to target any commercial vessel linked to Israeli ports—regardless of the ship’s nationality or location.

The group said countries must pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza and lift the blockade if they want to avoid further escalation. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding waters.

Earlier this month, two Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged ships were hit—one sank, killing four crew members and leaving 11 captive. The Houthis later released a video of the detainees. The group briefly paused attacks during a Gaza ceasefire but resumed them after U.S. airstrikes, despite a partial deal with Washington.

via Euronews