Houthis Issue New Maritime Threat as Gaza Aid Deadline Passes

Yemen’s Houthi forces have declared an immediate ban on Israeli ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden, threatening to attack any vessels that violate the blockade.

This announcement follows an escalating situation where the group issued an ultimatum on March 7 demanding Israel lift its Gaza aid blockade, with a deadline set for Tuesday evening at 20:00 Sana’a time, which has now passed.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi has reasserted that the group would resume military operations if their demands for restored humanitarian aid to Gaza were not met by the deadline.

Since beginning their campaign in November 2023, Houthi forces have launched over 100 attacks on merchant vessels, sinking two ships, causing four seafarer deaths, and maintaining a 430-day hostage situation involving 25 crew members aboard the car carrier Galaxy Leader.

The Houthi-aligned Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center had temporarily halted operations against merchant vessels when the ceasefire’s first phase began on January 19th. As ceasefire talks continue, Gaza’s humanitarian situation has worsened with Israel blocking aid deliveries and cutting power supplies to pressure Hamas.

It remains unclear whether the Houthis’ renewal of the blockade will include ships beyond those with Israeli ties, particularly given their history of seemingly indiscriminate and misinformed targeting.

Any renewal of attacks on merchant vessels by the Iranian-backed Houthis will test the Trump Administration’s response. Since returning to the White House, President Trump has pledged a return to his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. The Trump Administration’s re-designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on March 4 adds another layer of complexity to the situation.

This renewed threat will also likely reduce the chances of shipping services returning to the traditional Suez Canal route, as re-routed services have already largely avoided returning to the route during the first phase of the ceasefire.

As of now, the maritime security situation remains unstable, with the risk of escalation if the ceasefire deteriorates or if U.S. and UK forces take military action against Houthi positions.

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