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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced on November 19 that they will attack Israeli ships sailing near Yemen, in what appears to be a final warning following a series of threats.
In a statement, Houthi spokesman Brigade General Yahya Sari said that all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag will be targetes.
The decision to attack Israeli ships was taken “in view of what the Gaza Strip is being exposed to from the brutal Israeli-American aggression, including daily massacres and genocide, and in response to the demands of our Yemeni people,” the spokesman noted.
Brig. Gen. Sari also called on all countries to withdraw their citizens working on any Israeli ships, avoid shipping on them and to move their vessels away from such ships.
The Houthis are part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” which is backed by Iran and opposes Israel. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Houthis have been launching attacks with missiles and drones against Israel.
Earlier this week, the Houthis vowed to target Israeli ships sailing near Yemen. A military official of the group later told the press that attacks are about to begin.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, possess a large arsenal of anti-ship missiles as well as sophisticated naval mines. They also pioneered the use of remotely-controlled water-borne improvised explosive devices and employed suicide drones against ships in the past.
If the Houthis carry out their threat, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, will be effectively closed in the face of Israeli ships. This will provoke not only Israel but also the United States. The two could launch joint strikes against Yemen in response.
