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Yemen's Houthis to target only Israel-linked vessels following Gaza deal

January 22, 2025 at 9:04 am

A protestor lifts a mock missile while participating in a protest staged in solidarity with Palestinians and back Yemen’s Houthis attacks against Israel, the US, and the UK, on March 22, 2024 [Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images]

Yemen’s Houthis will limit their attacks on commercial vessels to Israel-linked ships, provided the Gaza ceasefire is fully implemented, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOOC) said according to Reuters.

The Sana’a-based HOCC, which liaises between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators and is associated with the Houthi military, said it was stopping “sanctions” against vessels owned by US or British individuals or entities, as well as ships sailing under their flags.

“We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, or the usurping Israeli entity, the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor,” it said in an email sent to shipping industry officials dated 19 January.

“You will be promptly informed of such measures should they be implemented.”

The HOCC said the Houthis would stop targeting Israeli-linked ships “upon the full implementation of all phases of the agreement”.

Many of the world’s biggest shipping companies have suspended voyages through the Red Sea and diverted their vessels around southern Africa to avoid being attacked.

The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers.

READ: Maritime sources expect Houthis to halt Red Sea attacks after Gaza deal

They have targeted the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are joined by the narrow Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

Executives from shipping, insurance and retail industries told Reuters last week that they were not ready to return to the Red Sea trade route because of uncertainty over whether the Houthis would continue to attack shipping.

A spokesperson for Germany container shipping group, Hapag-Lloyd, said on Monday the company was still monitoring the situation, adding: “We will return to the Red Sea when it is safe to do so.”

“Assuming the ceasefire holds and the US also refrains from using force, shipping companies are expected to gradually resume operations through the Red Sea.”

READ: Israel minister threatens to assassinate Houthi leader