Dubai:

All ships heading to Israeli ports will be targeted by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and not just in the Red Sea region, the group’s leaded Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Thursday.

The group has threatened to extend their attacks on ships heading to Israeli ports to the Mediterranean Sea, in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

Al-Houthi urged China, Russia, Asian and European countries to not transport goods to Israeli ports.

Houthis have previously said their main targets are Israel, and its allies the United States and Britain.

“Everyone must stop transporting to the occupied Palestinian ports… It is in the interest of all companies to stop transporting to the Israeli enemy towards the Mediterranean Sea or in any direction,” al-Houthi said.

Houthi attacks have raised the cost of shipping and insurance by disrupting a key trade route between Asia and Europe, forcing shipping firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Dubai:

The leader of Yemen’s Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said on Thursday the group would target ships of any company related to supplying or transporting goods to Israel regardless of their destination.

He said this was a fourth stage of escalation in retaliation to “the Israeli aggression on Rafah” in the southern Gaza Strip.

“From now on, we are also thinking about the fifth stage and the sixth stage, and we have very important, sensitive and influential choices on the enemies,” he added.

Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East.

The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks on shipping.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)