Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea is a major oil route. Source: Coordenação-Geral de Observação da Terra/INPE, Wikimedia Commons
Yemen’s Houthi organisation has warned that it will target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of nationality, and has warned all international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
“If Gaza does not receive the food and medicines it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed forces,” the Houthi group’s spokesperson said on Saturday in a statement.
The Houthis are a Yemen-based group of rebels who are aligned with Iran.
In recent weeks, the group have attacked and seized several Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a sea lane which is used as a major oil route – as well as firing ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel.
Last week, three commercial vessels were attacked in international waters, and the US Navy intervened.
The Houthis also attacked two ships of the Yemeni coast last week including a Bahamas-flagged vessel which claimed they were owned by Israel.
Galaxy Leader, an Israeli-linked cargo vessel was also seized by the group last month.
Israel says the Houthi group’s attack on ships is an “Iranian act of terrorism” with consequences for international maritime security.
But Houthi officials say these actions are taken to show support for the Palestinians, as Israel continues to relentlessly, indiscriminately bombard Gaza, now killing over 17,000 civilians.
