Huthis to continue targeting Israeli ships despite US agreement

Despite a recent agreement with the United States to halt attacks on ships navigating the Red Sea and nearby waters, Yemen’s Huthi movement has clarified that Israeli vessels remain excluded from the deal. Speaking to AFP, Abdulmalik Alejri, a senior figure in the Huthi political bureau, emphasized that maritime routes are safe for international traffic—except for ships associated with Israel.

Alejri explained that while the ceasefire applies to American and other international vessels, Israeli-linked ships will still be considered targets. The Huthis began attacking vessels connected to Israel in November 2023, following the eruption of the Israel-Hamas conflict. By January 2024, they expanded their campaign to include ships tied to the US and the UK, in retaliation for military strikes against Yemen.

According to Alejri, the Huthis will now exclusively target Israeli ships, shifting away from broader interpretations of connections to Israel that previously guided their operations.

The ceasefire agreement emerged after Israel launched strikes that shut down Sanaa International Airport, causing extensive damage estimated at $500 million. Oman acted as mediator for the truce, which commits both the US and the Huthis to refrain from targeting each other, ensuring safe passage in key waterways.

US President Donald Trump hailed the development as a diplomatic win, claiming the Huthis had conceded. The truce follows a series of US-led strikes on Huthi positions, which reportedly killed around 300 people and hit over 1,000 targets in Yemen as part of “Operation Rough Rider.”

Alejri noted that indirect dialogue with the US, facilitated by recent US-Iran discussions in Oman, contributed to the ceasefire. He reiterated that the Huthis did not initially attack American vessels, framing their retaliation as a response to US aggression. The Huthis insist their continued campaign against Israel is an expression of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.