SANAA: Yemen’s Houthis group, led by Abdulmalik al-Houthi, said on Thursday that the group will target all ships heading to Israeli ports, expanding their threats beyond the Red Sea region to include the Mediterranean Sea.
This announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions as Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 35,233 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 7 last year. Houthis group is targeting ships heading to Israeli ports in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In a televised speech on Thursday, Al-Houthi urged China, Russia, Asian, and European countries to refrain from transporting goods to Israeli ports. He emphasized that it is in the interest of all companies to cease such activities. The group has previously stated that their main targets are Israel and its allies, the United States and Britain.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted the key trade route between Asia and Europe, resulting in increased shipping costs and insurance premiums. “Everyone must stop transporting to the occupied Palestinian ports… It is in the interest of all companies to stop transporting to the Israeli enemy towards the Mediterranean Sea or in any direction,” al-Houthi said.
Shipping firms have been forced to reroute vessels to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa to avoid the risks associated with the Houthi threat.
Houthi attacks have raised the cost of shipping and insurance by disrupting a key trade route between Asia and Europe, forcing shipping firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.
