Houthis Refuse To Halt Attacks On Red Sea Shipping Despite US Pressure

The Houthis, a Yemeni militant group, have made it clear that they will not halt their attacks on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, despite US military pressure and calls for de-escalation from their allies, including Iran.

The group’s foreign minister, Jamal Amer, spoke to Reuters on Monday, saying the Houthis would only reconsider their actions if Israel ends its blockade of Gaza, which they believe is the main cause of their aggression.

The US recently launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, following the group’s announcement that it was resuming its attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

This move, the Houthis claim, is in support of Palestinians in Gaza, whom they say are being harmed by Israel’s blockade. Amer responded by saying that the group will continue to defend itself, stating that Yemen is effectively at war with the US.

“We have a right to defend ourselves with all possible means,” Amer said, warning that escalation is likely. He also rejected any suggestion that the Houthis would back down, calling the US strikes unjustified.

Amer stated that the group’s focus remains on Israeli ships, though he acknowledged the increased US involvement has complicated the situation.

According to two senior Iranian officials, Iran has tried to mediate the situation. They explained that Tehran had sent a verbal message to the Houthi envoy in Tehran on Friday, urging them to cool tensions.

Iran’s foreign minister also asked Oman, who had previously acted as a mediator with the Houthis, to deliver a similar message during his visit to Muscat.

However, Iran has not made any official comments about this mediation effort.

Amer stated he had not received any message from Iran. He added that while other nations have suggested de-escalation, the Houthis see the situation as one of self-defence, which makes them unwilling to back down.

He reiterated that the Houthis are not simply following Iran’s orders, but are making their decisions independently.

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he holds Ira responsible for any actions taken by the Houthis. He said on Monday that the US would hold Iran accountable for attacks carried out by the group.

In response, Amer directly threatened to retaliate against US military assets if the strikes continued, saying, “If they are hitting us from the USS Harry S. Truman, we will retaliate by hitting Truman.”

The Houthi announced on March 12 that they had resumed attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea. The group claims these attacks are in response to Israel’s refusal to end its blockade on Gaza.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks on commercial shipping.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News