Houthis threaten ships linked to Israel

Yemen's Houthi rebels announced a new phase of operations, threatening to target any company doing business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality. This escalation expands their previous campaign, which has disrupted Red Sea shipping since November 2023 in response to the Israel-Hamas war. The Houthis warned countries to pressure Israel to end the Gaza conflict to avoid further attacks. The rebels recently sank two ships, resulting in crew fatalities and captures. Previous agreements to halt attacks have proven fragile, with the Houthis stating their actions continue against perceived Israeli-aligned targets.