Yemen's Houthis Issue Warning to Ships Bound for Israel
By Mohammed Alghobari
ADEN, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi movement announced on Saturday that they will target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality. They also warned all international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
The Iran-aligned group is escalating the risks of a regional conflict amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The Houthis have previously attacked and seized several ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital sea lane for global oil transportation. They have also launched ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel. Houthi officials claim that their actions are in support of the Palestinians.
Israel has condemned these attacks on ships, considering them as an "Iranian act of terrorism" with potential consequences for international maritime security.
A spokesperson for the Houthi military stated that all ships sailing to Israeli ports are prohibited from entering the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. They also announced, "If Gaza does not receive the necessary food and medicine, all ships heading to Israeli ports in the Red Sea, regardless of their nationality, will be targeted by our armed forces." The spokesperson emphasized that their threat would have an immediate impact.
The Houthi movement is part of the Iran-aligned "Axis of Resistance," which has been targeting Israeli and U.S. interests since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7. In a recent incident, three commercial vessels were attacked in international waters, prompting intervention by a U.S. Navy destroyer.
The Houthis, who control a significant portion of Yemen and its Red Sea coastline, also seized a British-owned cargo ship last month that had connections to an Israeli company. These attacks on shipping have been condemned by the United States and the United Kingdom, with both countries pointing to Iran's support for the Houthis. However, Tehran claims that its allies make independent decisions.
Saudi Arabia has called on the United States to show restraint in responding to these attacks.
(Reporting by Mohammed Alghobari, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Nick Macfie and Clelia Oziel)
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