Yemen’s Houthi insurgents have indicated a cessation of their assaults on Israel and maritime traffic in the Red Sea as a fragile truce remains upheld in Gaza. In an undisclosed communication to Hamas’ Qassam Brigades shared online by the group, the Houthis conveyed their strongest indication yet of a halt in their attacks. Major General Yusuf Hassan al-Madani, the chief of staff for the Houthi military, stated, “We are closely observing developments and affirm that if the adversary renews its hostilities against Gaza, we will resume our military actions deep inside the Zionist territory and reimpose the ban on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas.”
While the Houthis have not officially acknowledged the cessation of their operations in the region, Israel’s military, which has targeted and eliminated senior Houthi figures, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Tuesday. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously warned of a severe response to Houthi attacks on Israel, vowing a “sevenfold” retaliation following a drone strike in Eilat that injured 22 individuals.
The Houthis garnered global attention during the Israel-Hamas conflict for their assaults on Israeli-affiliated vessels and Israel itself, purportedly to compel Israel to cease its actions. Since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, no attacks have been attributed to the rebel group. Despite the Houthis claiming that their campaign was directed at Israeli-associated ships, the vessels targeted had minimal, if any, connection to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The ongoing campaign has resulted in the deaths of at least nine sailors and the sinking of four ships, disrupting maritime traffic in the Red Sea, a vital route for approximately $1 trillion US dollars worth of goods annually before the conflict. The most recent attack by the rebels was on the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht on September 29, resulting in the death of one crew member and injuring another.
The assaults have significantly impacted transits through Egypt’s Suez Canal, a crucial link between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Despite a recent decrease in attacks, many shipping companies are opting to navigate around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. initiated a vigorous bombing campaign against the insurgents earlier this year, which was halted by President Donald Trump before his Middle East visit. The Biden administration has also conducted strikes against the Houthis, utilizing B-2 bombers to target alleged underground bunkers utilized by the rebel group.
