Houthis Escalate Threats to Target all Ships Bound for Israel in Red Sea

Latest Developments

The Iran-backed Houthis threatened on December 9 to target all ships heading to Israel via the Red Sea. “If Gaza does not receive the food and medicine it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed forces,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said on Saturday. The Houthis have increased attacks on ships in the last weeks and have carried out missile and drone attacks on Israel. The threat to target all ships bound for Israel marks a new escalation in tensions in the Red Sea. In addition, on December 10 a French naval warship shot down two Houthi drones in the Red Sea.

Expert Analysis

“The Houthis are seeking to blockade Israel by threatening all ships heading to Israel via the Red Sea. This represents a serious escalation. The Houthis have increasingly sought to join the Hamas war in Gaza and believe they will face no repercussions for their numerous attacks. The Iranian-backed Houthis should be designated as a terrorist group and their threats to free navigation of the seas and attacks should be met with force by the international community.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“Make no mistake that the decision to target Israel-bound vessels is an Iranian directive. Like other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the region, the Houthis are being used extensively in this war to mount pressure on the international community to force a ceasefire on Israel, thus giving Hamas a chance to survive the war.” —  Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Houthi Attacks Target Commercial Vessels

The Iran-backed Houthis hijacked the Galaxy Leader commercial ship in the Red Sea on November 19, seizing its 25 crew and taking the ship to a port off the coast of Yemen. They increased their attacks in late November and early December. On December 4, U.S. Central Command said there had been “four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea.” The Houthis have also continued to hold hostage the crew of the Galaxy Leader and is providing them with only limited contact with their families. The attacks on ships in the Red Sea have caused prices for cargo shipment to increase.

Houthi Drones and Missiles Threaten Israel and Naval Ships

The Houthis targeted Israel’s southern city of Eilat with a surface-to-surface missile on December 6. The missile was shot down by Israel’s Arrow air defense system. The Houthis began to target Israel with drones and long-range missiles in mid-October as part of their support for Hamas in Gaza. U.S. naval warships have shot down a number of Houthi drones in the Red Sea. On December 5 and 6, the USS Carney and USS Mason downed drones in the Red Sea.

Related Analysis

“Iranian-Backed Houthis Hijack Ship in Red Sea,” FDD Flash Brief

“Houthis in Yemen Target Vessels in Red Sea,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Activates Arrow Defense System Against Houthi Missile Over Red Sea,” FDD Flash Brief