The Iranian-backed Houthis have increased threats to return to attacks on Israel and return to attacks on ships. The threats come as a ceasefire continues to hold in Gaza.
The Houthis, however, claim that Israel has cut off aid to Gaza and, therefore, they have a right to continue attacks; they were also recently sanctioned by the Trump administration.
Iran wants to use the Houthis to keep the pressure on Israel. Iranian state media noted that “Yemen’s Ansarullah [Houthis] movement declares a four-day deadline to international mediators to advocate for the resumption of aid delivery into the Gaza Strip; otherwise, the movement would restart its naval operations against the Israeli regime.”
Houthis want power in Israel-Hamas War
The Houthis supposedly gave this ultimatum to the US, Qatar, and Egypt because they are mediating with Hamas. The Houthis want to show they are a key player in the Gaza conflict. They are not deterred and are willing to use ballistic missiles, drones, and other means to wreak havoc.
IRNA noted that the “Leader of the Ansar Allah movement, Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, made these remarks on Friday night in a video, warning that Yemen cannot tolerate the escalation of tension, the prevention of aid entry into Gaza, or the return of famine to this region of Palestine. The Zionist enemy has significantly reduced its obligations, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the number of patients moving outside of Gaza has decreased drastically,” he said.
It is unclear if the Houthis will follow through on their threats. “According to the Yemeni official, the Israeli regime and the United States are escalating confrontation, indicating that they are far from peace. On the other hand, the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, praised the Yemeni Ansarullah’s stance on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”