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Houthis Escalate Militarily: Broad Threat to Target Ships Linked to Israel
The Iran-backed Houthi group has announced the commencement of what it called the “fourth phase” of its military operations against Israel, vowing to expand its maritime attacks to include all vessels operated by companies engaged with Israeli ports, regardless of the companies’ nationality or the ships’ destinations.
In an official statement broadcast on television, the group’s military spokesperson declared that “any shipping company that continues to engage with Israeli ports will be considered a direct target, and its vessels will be attacked wherever they are, irrespective of their flag or destination.”
The statement emphasized that this move represents a deliberate escalation aimed at imposing a comprehensive maritime blockade on Israel. The group urged all companies to immediately cease any activity or dealings with Israeli ports as of the statement's release, warning that non-compliant vessels would be targeted with missiles and drones.
This announcement marks a significant escalation in regional tensions and underscores the Houthis’ intent to expand their geopolitical reach by threatening international maritime traffic, in alignment with the broader support they offer to the so-called "Axis of Resistance" in the region.
