Houthis Target 153 Ships of Israel, USA, and UK
Leader of Houthi Rebels Threatens to Continue Attacks on Ships in Support of Gaza
Abdülmelik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi rebels, recently made a statement to the “Al-Mesira” television affiliated with the Houthis, in which he declared their intention to continue attacking ships in order to support the Gaza Strip during Eid al-Adha.
According to al-Houthi, the Houthis have targeted 8 ships with 26 ballistic missiles in 10 separate “operations” in the past week alone. He also claimed that since November 2023, they have attacked a total of 153 ships affiliated with Israel, the USA, and the UK.
In response to recent US and UK airstrikes in Yemen, al-Houthi stated that these attacks have had no significant impact on the Houthi forces. He claimed that both countries had carried out 24 airstrikes on various regions of Yemen in the last week.
The Houthis, who are supported by Iran in Yemen, began seizing commercial ships off the coast of Yemen since October 31, 2023, in retaliation to Israel’s actions in Gaza. They have been targeting ships affiliated with Israeli companies using unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles.
As a result of these actions, many shipping companies have decided to halt their voyages in the Red Sea. In response to the escalating situation, the USA announced the formation of a multinational “maritime task force” named “Operation Welfare Guardian” on December 18, 2023. This task force aims to counter the threat posed by the Houthi forces to global maritime trade security.
Following the US and UK attacks on regions under their control in Yemen, the Houthis have declared their intention to target all ships belonging to these countries. The situation in the Red Sea remains tense as both sides continue to escalate their actions.
