Houthis to limit attacks on commercial ships to Israel-tied vessels following Gaza ceasefire deal

Yemen's Houthi group has announced it will restrict its attacks on commercial vessels to those linked to Israel, provided that the Gaza ceasefire deal is fully implemented.

This decision may ease disruptions that have plagued global maritime trade for over a year, particularly in the Red Sea, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The Sanaa-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC), which mediates between Houthi forces and shipping operators, confirmed on January 19, that sanctions against vessels owned by the United States and British entities, as well as those flying their flags, will be lifted.

"We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, or the usurping Israeli entity, the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor," the HOCC stated in an email to shipping officials.

The group also clarified that it would stop targeting Israeli-linked ships only once all phases of the ceasefire agreement were fully implemented. A spokesperson for the Houthis explained to Al Jazeera that the group would cease its military operations against both Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea if the ceasefire, which started January 19, is upheld. The truce, agreed between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group, will unfold over several weeks in three phases.

Since November 2023, the Iran-backed Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on ships, sinking two vessels and causing the deaths of at least four seafarers. Their primary targets have been the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are connected by the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime choke point. 

These attacks disrupted global trade along the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. In response, numerous shipping companies rerouted their vessels around Africa’s southern tip to avoid the region.

The Houthis’ actions, including direct attacks on Israel, have prompted retaliatory strikes from the UK and US on Yemeni targets, while Washington has imposed sanctions on the rebel group. Israel has also targeted Houthi-controlled infrastructure, including power plants and ports.

Despite the ceasefire, executives from retail and insurance firms have expressed caution about returning to the Red Sea. Reuters quoted a spokesperson for German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd, who stated, “we will return to the Red Sea when it is safe to do so.”

Jakob Larsen, chief safety officer at shipping association BIMCO, noted that, "assuming the ceasefire holds… shipping companies are expected to gradually resume operations through the Red Sea."

By Aghakazim Guliyev