Houthi Rebels Expand Target List to Former Israeli Ships Amid Red Sea Attacks

In a recent statement, Yemen’s Houthi rebel group declared their intention to target ships that were previously owned by Israeli companies, even after these vessels have been resold and no longer have a direct connection to Israel. This announcement expands the potential targets available to the group as they continue to carry out missile and drone attacks on civilian shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Despite claiming to only target vessels linked to Israel and its allies, the Houthi rebels have been known to attack ships with no clear ties to Israeli interests.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree emphasized that the group believes Israeli shipping interests are attempting to conceal the true ownership of their vessels in order to avoid the punitive measures imposed by Houthi forces in the Red Sea. These alleged efforts to evade detection include selling ships or re-registering them under different names. Saree warned that the Yemeni Armed Forces will not acknowledge any changes in ownership or flags of ships belonging to the Israeli enemy and cautioned all parties involved with these companies or vessels of potential consequences.

Despite the Houthi group’s claims, maritime security analysts have suggested that they may be relying on outdated information for targeting purposes. The most recent ship targeted by a Houthi strike was a Greek-owned bulker named the Motaro, which had no recent connections to Israeli ports or businesses. Saree confirmed the targeting of the Motaro, citing the shipping company’s alleged ongoing operations with Israeli seaports as the reason for the attack. However, AIS records show no evidence of any of the operator’s three bulkers calling in Israel within the last three years.

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