Yemen Monitor/Sana’a/Reuters:
The Houthi-run Humanitarian Coordination Center has announced that the armed group will limit its attacks on commercial ships to target only those linked to Israel following the implementation of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The center, responsible for communication between the Houthis and commercial shipping companies, said in an email to shipping officials on January 19 that it had decided to lift “sanctions” against ships owned by individuals or entities from the US or Britain, or those flying the flag of either country.
“We affirm that in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen from the US or Britain… sanctions will be re-imposed on the aggressor… We will inform you immediately of such measures if they are implemented,” the email stated.
The center added that targeting ships linked to Israel would cease “upon the full implementation of all stages of the agreement” between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The Houthis are also expected to issue a separate military statement on Monday, likely regarding the decision.
Many of the world’s largest shipping companies have stopped operating their
ships through the Red Sea and diverted them to the Cape of Good Hope route to avoid any attacks.
More than 100 attacks carried out by the Iranian-backed Houthis on ships since November 2023 have resulted in the sinking of two ships, the seizure of a third, and the killing of at least four sailors.
The Houthis are targeting the southern Red Sea region and the Gulf of Aden, which are connected by Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a transit point between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Hamas released three Israeli hostages, while Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of a ceasefire that ended a 15-month war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought significant changes to the Middle East.
Almost every week since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted Israeli ships, and later expanded their attacks to British and US ships, using ballistic missiles and drones in the waters near the Yemeni coast in solidarity with the Palestinians.
