Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced Monday that they are imposing what they described as a complete ban on Israeli-linked maritime traffic in the Red Sea, while warning that further military action against them or their allies would be met with intensified attacks.

In a statement released by the group, the Houthis declared that any vessels associated with Israel would now be considered potential targets.

“We consider all enemy movements to be legitimate military targets for our armed forces,” the Houthis warned.

The threat was accompanied by a pledge to increase military operations throughout the region if tensions continue to rise.

“Escalation will be met with escalation, and our operations will intensify in accordance with developments,” said Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, vowing to act “in coordination with the axis of jihad and resistance,” meaning Iran’s network of terrorist proxies across the Middle East.

Saree further stated that the group has no intention of ending its military campaign.

“Our operations will continue as long as the aggression and siege continue against us and against the axis of struggle and resistance,” he said.

The spokesman also claimed responsibility for missile attacks directed at central Israel, describing them as retaliation for Israeli military operations on multiple fronts.

Saree also stated that Houthi forces attacked central Israel with missiles, “in response to Israeli aggression against Lebanon, Iran, and Gaza.”

“The Yemeni armed forces have launched missiles at important targets of the Israeli enemy in the occupied Jaffa area, which were precisely hit,” he said. By “occupied Jaffa,” he meant the area around Tel Aviv.

The announcement mirrored actions taken by Iran, which launched missiles toward Israel following Israeli strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Houthi missile launches triggered the first warning sirens heard in Israel on Monday morning, with additional barrages later arriving from Iran.

The Houthis previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict between 2023 and 2025, forcing many vessels to abandon the route and travel around southern Africa instead, dramatically increasing shipping costs and transit times. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February, the group has repeatedly threatened to resume those attacks but had not acted until now.

In March, the Houthis also threatened to disrupt maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping corridors connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

The waterway has become increasingly important for global energy markets since Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Oil tankers, particularly those carrying Saudi crude, have increasingly relied on the Bab el-Mandeb route because Saudi Arabia can redirect much of its oil exports to the Red Sea through an existing pipeline network.

Data from shipping analytics firm Kpler indicates that oil shipments passing through the Bab el-Mandeb rose sharply between February and April, climbing from 3.9 million barrels per day to 7.2 million barrels per day.

Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, told The New York Times that the Houthis would not need a sustained campaign to disrupt the route.

“They can just send a signal and only one attack has to happen – and that will send a shock across insurance companies,” he said.

Looking ahead, al-Muslimi suggested that both major regional shipping chokepoints could face simultaneous disruption.

“I won’t be surprised now if you have a joint lockdown of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab,” he predicted.

{Matzav.com}