Focus on escalation

Houthis want to expand attacks on ships

Houthi supporters demonstrate with a dummy rocket in Yemen.(Bild: AP)

The Houthi militia in Yemen, which is allied with Iran, wants to expand its attacks on merchant ships off the country's coast. The group's leader, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, said in a televised speech on Thursday that they were focusing on escalation in response to Israel's escalation in the Gaza Strip.

So far, 48 ships have been attacked, reports the Al-Masirah channel. The Houthi leader also announced the use of underwater weapons. Representatives of the rebels had recently emphasized that, in addition to ships with links to Israel, US and British ships would also be targeted.

In response to the Houthi attacks, the two countries had carried out several military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. However, these failed to achieve their goal of destroying the group's capacity for further attacks, according to al-Houthi.

Houthis prohibit passage of ships
The Houthi militia had previously officially banned the passage of ships in the waters under their control. According to the militia, it sent a letter to shipping companies and insurance companies with links to Israel, the USA and the UK on Thursday.

In it, they prohibit passage through the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea if the shipments are connected to Israel. It is the first formal letter from the rebel group to the shipping industry.

One of the most important shipping routes for world trade runs along Yemen, through which freighters from the Indian Ocean reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal in Egypt. In recent weeks, the rebels have repeatedly fired on merchant ships and warships in the Red Sea from Yemen.