Houthis to limit attacks in Red Sea to solely Israel-linked ships
Yemen’s Houthi fighters have signalled they will limit attacks in the Red Sea to only Israel-affiliated ships as the ceasefire in Gaza enters its second day.
The group said it’s “stopping sanctions” on the other vessels it previously targeted since November 2023 in support of the Palestinians under attack by Israel’s army in Gaza.
For Israeli ships, those “sanctions … will be stopped upon the full implementation of all phases” of the ceasefire, a statement said.
“In the event of any aggression … the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor state.”
The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since Israel began its war on Gaza.
Shipping industry cautious after Houthis say they’ll limit attacks
A spokesperson for Germany container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said the company is still monitoring the situation. “We will return to the Red Sea when it is safe to do so.”
The Houthis have attacked ships in recent months based on outdated information, said Jakob Larsen, chief safety & security officer with shipping association BIMCO.
“In recent months, they have made several false claims about successful attacks, thereby slightly undermining their credibility. Assuming the ceasefire holds and the US also refrains from using force, shipping companies are expected to gradually resume operations through the Red Sea.”
Insurers are also waiting for test voyages to determine if sky-high war-risk premiums would ease.
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