Houthis to Resume Attacks on Vessels in the Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi terrorists said Tuesday evening they would resume attacks on “any Israeli vessel” in nearby waterways as Israel continues to block aid flowing into Gaza.

Ban: The Houthis’ Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center said the Iran-linked terrorist group would ban all Israeli ships transiting the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb strait and Arabian Sea.

“Any Israeli vessel attempting to violate this ban will be subject to military targeting in the declared operational area,” it said.

Blockade: On March 2, Israel began halting humanitarian aid flowing into the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas, which had refused to accept a proposal for an extended ceasefire deal.

The Houthis cited this as their reason for increasing attacks on ships.

We hope it is understood that the actions taken by the [Houthi military] stem from a deep sense of religious, humanitarian and moral responsibility toward the oppressed Palestinian people and aim to pressure the Israeli usurper entity to reopen the crossings to the Gaza Strip and allow the entry of aid, including food and medical supplies.
—Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center

Not just Israel: British maritime security firm Ambrey warned this will likely affect more than just Israeli vessels. The company explained that in the past the Houthis have had an “ambiguous” definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship:

[It’s] likely to have extended once more toward ships partially owned by Israeli individuals or entities, vessels managed and/or operated by Israeli individuals or entities, vessels heading to Israel, and to ships of companies that call Israel.

Red Sea battle: Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Houthis have attacked over 100 commercial vessels, sunk two ships, and killed four sailors. Their threats in this vital shipping lane have diverted scores of trading ships, costing businesses and nations thousands in extra trading costs.

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has warned that this battle for freedom of trade in the Red Sea has aggravated Europe in particular. Bible prophecy says Europe will not tolerate being pushed around by Iran’s terrorist proxies.

Learn more: Read Mr. Flurry’s article “Is the Red Sea Crisis About to Fulfill Bible Prophecy?”