Daijiworld Media Network - Sanaa

Sanaa, Jul 28: In a sharp escalation of its maritime campaign, Yemen's Houthi armed group announced it will now target all foreign vessels linked to Israel, regardless of flag, company, or destination, claiming the move is retaliation for Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

In a televised statement aired on Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, military spokesperson Yahya Sarea declared:

“This escalation includes targeting all ships belonging to any company that deals with Israeli ports… regardless of their nationality and wherever they may be, within our forces’ reach.”

The warning marks a significant widening of the group’s Red Sea offensive, which previously focused on Israeli-owned or Israel-bound ships. Sarea added:
“We warn all companies to cease their dealings with Israeli ports, starting the hour this statement is issued. Countries must pressure Israel to lift its siege on Gaza if they wish to avoid this escalation.”

Renewed Threat to Global Maritime Trade

The statement follows the Houthis’ claims of sinking two commercial vessels — the Magic Seas and Eternity C — in the Red Sea earlier this month. According to international monitoring, the group has sunk four ships in 2024 alone, severely impacting regional shipping lanes.

In 2023, the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship, detaining its crew for weeks. While the crew was eventually released through Omani mediation, the vessel itself remains in Houthi custody.

The Houthis, who control large swathes of northern Yemen, have been targeting maritime traffic in the Red Sea since November 2023, claiming their operations are in solidarity with Palestinians and a form of pressure on Israel to halt its Gaza campaign.

Global Implications

The declaration significantly raises the stakes in one of the world’s most crucial shipping routes. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, near where many of the Houthi attacks occur, connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and sees billions of dollars worth of cargo pass through every week.

Security analysts warn that the Houthis’ broadened threat could impact a wide range of international shipping lines, insurance costs, and naval operations — particularly if enforcement of their warning begins immediately.

As the conflict in Gaza continues to ripple far beyond the Middle East, the latest Houthi warning underscores how regional actors are reshaping global trade and security dynamics through asymmetric warfare at sea.