Sanaa: Yemen's Houthi armed group has announced a significant escalation in its maritime targeting strategy, declaring on Sunday that it will now target "all foreign ships linked to Israel... regardless of their destination." This move is presented as retaliation for what the Houthis term Israel's "blockade and starvation" campaign against Gaza.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea, in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, explicitly warned that "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." Sarea urged all companies to immediately cease their dealings with Israeli ports, and called on international communities to pressure Israel to halt its aggression and lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip to "avoid this escalation."

This expanded threat follows a pattern of Houthi maritime attacks. Earlier this month, the group claimed responsibility for sinking two commercial vessels, the Magic Seas and Eternity C, in the Red Sea. In 2024 alone, the Houthis have reportedly attacked and sunk four ships. A notable incident from 2023 involved the seizure of the Galaxy Leader and its crew, who were later released through Omani mediation, although the ship itself remains in Houthi custody, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

The Houthi group, which maintains control over much of northern Yemen, initiated its targeting of Israel and Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea in November 2023. These actions are consistently framed as acts of solidarity with Palestinians and an effort to pressure Israel to end its military operations in Gaza.

With inputs from IANS