Houthi official: We’ll now target any Israel-bound ship of any ownership

An official for Yemen’s Houthi rebels announces that it will from now on start targeting any ship passing through the Red Sea on its way to Israel, regardless of whether the ship’s ownership is linked to the Jewish state.

Thus far, the Houthis have only been targeting vessels allegedly owned by Israeli firms or businessmen or linked to them.

In a tweet, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi says that his forces will “prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity of any nationality, if they do not enter the Gaza Strip where they need food and medicine, and they will become a legitimate target for our armed forces.”

“Out of concern for the safety of maritime navigation, we warn all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports,” he warns, adding that this is “as a result of the Zionist enemy’s continued carrying out of horrific massacres, genocidal war and siege against our brothers in Gaza.”

He adds that “no American or other” military forces have the “right” to accompany Israeli ships or ships heading to Israel.