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Yemen's Houthis Limit Red Sea Attacks to Israeli Ships, Impacting Egypt's Revenues

Jan 20, 2025, 09:45 AM

Yemen's Houthi rebels have announced they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships, coinciding with the second day of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This decision was communicated through an email sent to shippers and other parties on Sunday by the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center. Despite this announcement, it is unlikely to encourage global firms to resume using the route, which is vital for cargo and energy shipments between Asia and Europe. The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, with their attacks halving traffic through the region and significantly impacting Egypt's revenues from the Suez Canal. The group has warned that attacks on ships linked to the United States and the United Kingdom could resume if these countries launch further strikes on Yemen. Since November 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed over 46,000 Palestinians.