Yemen's Houthis Announce Ban on Israeli Ships in Red Sea

Yemen's Houthi movement has announced it will block Israeli-linked ships from passing through the Red Sea, according to Israeli media reports. The Jerusalem Post reported that the group framed the move as an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The reported declaration would extend the Houthis' campaign of pressure on maritime traffic in one of the world's busiest shipping corridors, through which a significant share of global trade and energy flows. The claims have been carried by Israeli outlets and have not been independently verified; the scope of any such ban, including which vessels would be affected and how it would be enforced, was not detailed in the reporting. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, have previously said their operations target shipping they describe as connected to Israel. The Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea is a critical chokepoint for cargo moving between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal. Disruption there has in the past pushed shippers toward longer routes around southern Africa, raising costs and insurance premiums. For Gulf states, including Qatar, stability of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab is closely tied to energy exports and regional trade.