By Ahmed Tolba and Yomna Ehab
CAIRO, March 7 (Reuters) – The leader of Yemen’s Houthis said on Friday the group would resume its naval operations against Israel if Israel did not lift a blockage of aid into Gaza within four days, signaling a possible escalation from the Houthis after their assaults tailed off in January following a ceasefire in the enclave.
The Iran-aligned movement launched more than 100 attacks targeting shipping from November 2023, saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
During that period, it sank two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers in an offensive that disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.
“We will give a deadline for four days. This deadline is for the (Gaza ceasefire) mediators for their efforts,” al-Houthi said.
“If the Israeli enemy after four days continues to prevent the humanitarian aid into Gaza and continues to completely close the crossings, we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy.”
On March 2, Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza as a standoff over the truce escalated, with Hamas calling on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.
Hamas welcomed the Houthis’ announcement on Friday.
“The brave decision … is an extension of the positions of support and assistance that they (the Houthis) provided over the course of 15 months of war … in Gaza”, Hamas said.
The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, also said in February that they will take military action if the U.S. and Israel try to displace Palestinians from Gaza forcibly.
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(Reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Yomna Ehab; Additional reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Daniel Wallis)
