Houthis threaten to attack all ships linked to Israeli trade

The Yemen-based Houthi terrorist group threatened on Sunday to attack all ships affiliated with companies that conduct business with Israel or use Israeli ports.

The announcement marks an escalation, as the militia had previously only threatened to target vessels that are directly linked to Israel. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed that the new move constitutes the fourth phase of its military attacks against Israel.

The Houthi military spokesperson called on the international community to pressure Israel to end its military operations against the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces call on all countries, if they want to avoid this escalation, to pressure the enemy to halt its aggression and lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip,” the senior official warned in a televised statement.

The Houthis openly call for the Jewish state’s destruction. It’s ideological slogan states, “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews.”

Following the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, the Houthis began targeting international ships passing through the strategically important Red Sea region where goods worth around $1 trillion pass through on an annual basis.

The Houthis have also launched many missile and drone attacks on Israel, claiming to act in alleged solidarity with Gaza.

The new Houthi threat indicates that the terror group could potentially also target American commercial vessels.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to attack the Houthis in response to the group’s ongoing terrorism and aggression against international shipping.

“They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other ships, aircraft and drones,” Trump stated at the time.

“To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY,” Trump warned on his social media platform Truth Social. “IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!”

In May, the U.S. and the Houthis agreed to a ceasefire, a deal reportedly brokered by the Omani government.

“The Houthis have announced to us that they don’t want to fight anymore, they just don’t want to fight, and we will honor that, and we will stop the bombings,” Trump told media representatives at the time, stating that the Houthis had “capitulated.”

However, the terror group quickly emphasized at the time that they would continue attacking Israel and have fired hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israeli territory since then. While Israeli defense systems have intercepted the overwhelming majority of the Houthi aerial projectiles, at least one Israeli citizen was killed by a Houthi attack.

In early May, a Houthi missile landed close to Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. While no individuals were hurt, the incident prompted many international airline companies to cancel their flights to and from Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces quickly responded by targeting Houthi military targets across Yemen.

In early June, the Houthis threatened to begin targeting Israeli civilian planes that pass across the Middle East including through Saudi airspace.

This month, the Houthis have continued their missile attacks amid stalled efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.