On Tuesday, the leader of Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said that they blocked all Israeli-linked ships in the Gulf of Aden last week.
Yemeni Houthi rebels patrol the area where their supporters were holding a rally in Sanaa in solidarity with the Palestinian Hamas movement's armed resistance against Israel on January 29, 2024, amid the continuing battles between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza. Since shortly after the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out on October 7, the Huthis have launched a spate of missile and drone attacks on passing commercial ships in the Red Sea which they say are linked to Israel.
"The Americans and the British failed to secure the passage of any ship heading to Israel. They were unable to protect these ships. They can no longer protect even American-British ships, and this is a real and major victory for us." Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech.
Reuters noted the Houthi militants, who control Yemen's most populous regions, have repeatedly fired on international commercial ships since mid-November. Their targets have been vessels with commercial ties to the United States, Britain, or Israel, according to shipping sources.
"The Israeli, American, and British agenda seeks to bring an end to the Palestinian issue," al-Houthi said. Houthi operations in the Red Sea, he said, were "legitimate (ones) to help support the people of Gaza and lift the siege being imposed on them."
The Houthis claim they have targeted shipping in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war on Gaza.
Several companies have decided to suspend Red Sea journeys in response to the attacks, choosing instead a lengthier and more expensive route around the African continent. Retaliatory strikes across Yemen have been carried out by both U.S. and British warplanes.
The Houthi's military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, had previously warned the United States in January, doubling down on the Houthi's stance that these blockade attempts will continue until aid is allowed to enter Gaza.
"No U.S. attack will pass without a response or punishment," he said.
What Caused The Escalation?
Following the Houthi announcement in January, Al-Jazeera revealed that the Pentagon indicated a U.S. warship and multiple commercial ships faced an assault in the Red Sea.
"We are aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available," the Pentagon stated.
However, it was reported that missiles landed near a U.S. warship after it helped an Israeli vessel that had been briefly seized by gunmen. In December, the Houthis also seized a vehicle transport ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen.
