Houthi rebels based out of Yemen say that they now intend to limit their attacks on ships moving through the Red Sea to vessels directly affiliated with Israel.
According to the Associated Press, the Houthi’s Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center sent an email to shippers on January 20, to inform them that it’s now safe for any ship that isn’t wholly owned and flagged by Israel to transit the Red Sea and Suez Canal, as long as a recently signed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to be honored. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea date back to November 2023, when rebels attacked the British-owned Galaxy Leader cargo ship and seized its crew. Since then, the group has targeted more than 100 vessels in the region, sinking two and killing four people.
Houthis also warned that “any aggression” from other nations will lead to further attacks. The U.S. and its allies have launched more than 260 airstrikes against the rebel group in recent months, as tensions have escalated over the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea. The rebel group has frequently claimed that it has sought to exclusively target ships with ties to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K., although many of the attacks have appeared to be indiscriminate. As the attacks have continued, ocean carriers have also been forced to reroute vessels thousands of miles around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
