Israel to remove Houthi ‘naval siege’
Israel-Hamas war escalates as Yemen rebels threaten to attack any ships going to the Jewish state
Daily TribuneIsrael-Hamas war escalates as Yemen rebels threaten to attack any ships going to the Jewish state
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened on Saturday to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israel's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said his country would not accept the "naval siege" and warned on Israel's Channel 12 television, "If the world will not take care of it, we will take action to remove the naval siege."
Hanegbi said Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked United States President Joe Biden and European leaders to take measures to address the situation.
Last week, the Huthis attacked two ships off the Yemeni coast, including a Bahamas-flagged vessel, claiming they were Israeli-owned.
And last month, the rebel forces seized the Galaxy Leader, an Israeli-linked cargo vessel.
Their latest threat expands the scope of their targets.
"We warn all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports," the latest Houthi statement posted on social media said.
It added that all "ships linked to Israel or that will transport goods to Israeli ports" are not welcome in the Red Sea, a vital channel for global trade linked to the Suez Canal.
Last week, the Houthi attacked two ships off the Yemeni coast.
Regardless of which flag ships sail under or the nationality of their owners or operators, Israel-bound vessels "will become a legitimate target for our armed forces," the statement added.
Hamas welcomed the rebels' "courageous and bold" decision.
"We call on Arab and Muslim countries to use all their capabilities, based on their historical responsibilities and in the spirit of chivalry, to lift the siege of Gaza," it added in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse.
Beyond maritime attacks, the Huthis have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since the deadly attacks by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas triggered all-out war.
Drones attack frigate
Adding tension in the Red Sea on Saturday was the drone attacks on a French frigate, which responded by shooting down the unmanned aerial vehicles coming from the coast of Yemen, France's military said Sunday.
"The interception and destruction of these two identified threats" were carried out late Saturday by the frigate Languedoc, which operates in the Red Sea, the general staff said in a press release.
The interceptions occurred at 2030 GMT and 2230 GMT, it added, and were 110 km from the Yemeni coast.
An American destroyer shot down three drones last week while providing assistance to commercial ships in the Red Sea targeted by attacks from Yemen, according to Washington, which denounced "a direct threat" to maritime security.
WITH AFP