Houthis declare “maritime blockade” on Israel’s Haifa Port amid Gaza conflict

On May 19, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a "maritime blockade" on Israel’s Haifa port in retaliation for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The declaration marks an escalation in the group's campaign of regional attacks launched in what it calls solidarity with Palestinians, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

"All companies with ships present in or heading to this port are hereby notified that, as of the time of this announcement, the aforementioned port has been included in the list of targets," the group's spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised address.

The Houthis have launched several missiles at Israeli targets, including Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. While the group has claimed these attacks are part of their support for Gaza, they have simultaneously stated their intention to halt assaults on U.S. vessels.

Most of the missiles aimed at Israel have been intercepted, minimising damage and casualties.

Israel has responded with retaliatory strikes. One such attack on May 6 targeted Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa, causing significant damage and resulting in several fatalities.

For the record, the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are a Shiite rebel group that controls large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

Since the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7, 2023—when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel—regional tensions have intensified. The Houthis quickly positioned themselves as part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” against Israel, alongside Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

Beginning in November 2023, the Houthis started targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea they claimed were linked to Israel. These attacks severely disrupted international shipping routes, prompting the United States and its allies to launch Operation Prosperity Guardian to secure maritime traffic. In response, the Houthis expanded their missile and drone attacks to include U.S. and U.K. military ships—until announcing a cessation of those attacks earlier this year.

By Khagan Isayev