Yemen’s Houthis have vowed to escalate attacks on vessels operated by companies with ties to Israel, whether through business or other affiliations.
As part of what they call the “fourth phase” of their military campaign against Israel, the Houthis declared that they will target ships irrespective of their national flags or their intended destinations, reported Reuters.
Houthis military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, warned that ships would be attacked if companies ignored their warnings in a televised statement.
“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 spokesperson stated.
“Any ship, regardless of its destination, is a legitimate target if its owning company does business with Israel.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions targeting what they claimed to be a petroleum smuggling and sanctions-evasion network linked to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group.
Such actions illustrate the evolving legal and financial levers being used in maritime security policy, with implications for insurers, shipping companies, and regional trade flows.
Only a few months ago, the US struck a surprise agreement with the Houthis to halt its bombing campaign in exchange for an end to attacks on commercial shipping. However, the Houthis attested that the deal did not extend to vessels linked to Israel.
Earlier this May, the Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Israel’s Haifa Port, heightening regional tensions and impacting global shipping routes.
