Yemen's Houthis Renew Blockade on Israeli Ships as Deadline Expires for Gaza Aid
SANA’A, YEMEN—The military spokesperson for the Houthi-led government in Yemen on Tuesday announced the resumption of the naval blockade targeting Israeli ships traversing Yemen's waterways, following the expiration of its deadline for Israel to allow aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a televised statement broadcast by Almasirah TV channel, Houthi spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said that the blockade on Israeli ships now covers Yemen’s waterways in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, issued a four-day ultimatum on March 8 to mediators in the ceasefire negotiations with Israel, as well as the Israeli government itself, demanding that aid be allowed into Gaza. On March 2, as the first phase of the ceasefire ended, Israel announced it was reimposing a total blockade on Gaza—barring any aid from entering. The cutoff of all food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies has caused prices for basic goods to skyrocket, severely exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. On Sunday, Israel also cut off the electricity supply to Gaza with severe consequences on the supply of water in the territory.
With the expiration of the deadline and Israel only tightening the blockade onthe besieged territory, the Houthis have signaled their commitment to go back to war with Israel by targeting Israeli-linked ships traversing the crucial maritime route linking Asia and Europe.
“Any Israeli ship attempting to break this blockade will be targeted in the declared operational area,” said Saree. “This blockade will continue until the crossings to the Gaza Strip are reopened, and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is allowed to enter.”
The Houthis began their campaign targeting alleged Israeli-linked shipping in solidarity with Palestinians following Israel’s assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023. The group has targeted dozens of ships with drone and missile strikes, killing a handful of sailors and even commandeering one vessel. The attacks have dramatically reduced the volume of merchant traffic in the region, especially at the Israeli port of Eilat, which is reliant on Red Sea shipping. It’s also had a devastating economic impact on Egypt, by choking off traffic in the Egyptian-run Suez Canal.
The Houthi attacks on merchant vessels, as well as on Israel itself, prompted a wave of retaliation by the US, UK and Israel, with missile strikes on Yemen, though these attacks did little to deter the group. Israeli media has reportedly stated that the Israeli army is on high alert in anticipation of a new wave of missile attacks from Yemen.
The United States has since been rallying regional allies to take unified action against the threats posed by the Houthis to shipping lanes across Yemen's waterways. On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss a range of topics, including Ukraine and Yemen. “The leaders discussed Yemen and threats to navigation from Houthi terrorists that threaten global commerce, American interests, and Saudi citizens and infrastructure,” according to a readout by the State Department.
The United States has deployed heavy military assets to Yemen’s Red Sea to safeguard cargo ships transiting through Yemen's waterways.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement welcomed Yemen’s blockade declaration as an important step to pressure Israel and its backers to reopen the crossings and allow the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.
“We welcome this courageous stance, which reflects the authenticity and bravery of the Yemeni people in supporting our people in Gaza. The Yemeni people have proven, through this announcement, their steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and backing their resistance,” said the movement in a statement. “We express our appreciation for this significant support and call on the Arab and Islamic nations to take similar stances that strengthen the resilience of our people.”
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