Houthis to block Red Sea to Israeli ships

© Photo: Maria Novoselova/Vestnik Kavkaza

The Houthis announced a total blockade of the Red Sea for ships associated with Israel, but promised to allow all other maritime transport.

Representatives of one of the Yemeni Houthi groups, Ansar Allah, reported today the beginning of a blockade of the Red Sea for Israeli ships and any other vessels going to Israel.

The Houthis explained that the blockade can only be lifted if humanitarian aid - food and medicine - will be delivered into the Gaza Strip. Until the Yemeni militants decide that their conditions have been met, they promise not to allow a single ship sailing to Israeli ports into the Red Sea.

At the same time, the Houthis assured that all other ships - heading to Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, or the Suez Canal - will be completely safe, since the militants target only vessels associated with Israel.