Houthis continue to target ships linked to Israel

Yemen's Houthi group has announced that it will maintain a blockade of Israeli-linked ships in response to 'intelligence' about Tel Aviv shipping companies selling assets to other partners.

"Intelligence information confirms that many companies operating in the shipping sector with links to Israel are looking to sell assets and transfer ships to other businesses," Reuters quoted Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea on November 3.

Explosion caused by Houthi attack on Greek ship MV Tutor in the Red Sea on June 12, 2024

According to Mr. Sarea, the Houthis will not recognize any change of ownership and warned against cooperating with these companies. Mr. Sarea said the Houthis will continue to impose the maritime blockade until the conflict in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon ends.

Mr. Sarea stressed that the Houthis increased their attacks to support Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel's actions in the region.

Israel has not yet commented on the above move by the Houthi forces.

In another development, UN experts assessed that the Houthi group has transformed from a local armed group with limited capacity into a powerful military organization thanks to support from external resources.

According to ABC News citing a 537-page report to the United Nations Security Council by the above expert group, the Houthis benefited from training and technical support provided by the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as Hezbollah and pro-Iran groups in Iraq.

Analysis of data from the International Maritime Organization, the United States and the United Kingdom also showed that there were at least 134 attacks carried out from Houthi-controlled areas on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden between November 15, 2023 and July 31, 2024.

UN experts said the scale and weapon systems of the Houthi attacks were unprecedented since World War II, stressing that the group's shift to sea operations had increased its influence in the region.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/houthi-tiep-tuc-nham-vao-tau-thuyen-co-lien-ket-voi-israel-18524110412330009.htm