THE Iran-backed Houthi rebels have vowed to expand their campaign of terror from the Red Sea into the Indian Ocean in a “major step”.
Houthi chief Abdul Malik al-Houthi declared tonight that his militant’s will now be targeting Israel-linked vessels all the way to the southern tip of Africa.
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In a televised speech, al-Houthi said: “Our main battle is to prevent ships linked to the Israeli enemy from passing through not only the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but also the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope.
“This is a major step and we have begun to implement our operations related to it.”
The Iran-aligned Yemeni group has been waging war on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they call solidarity with Hamas as Israel continues its war in Gaza.
Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
But the Houthis’ new threat could see even this route become treacherous – potentially sending global shipping prices soaring.
The price of global shipping containers jumped by more than 300 per cent between November and January.
Their ongoing maritime attacks have also stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East.
In response, the US and UK have launched successive strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen and redesignated the militia as a terrorist group.
Al-Houthi added that around 34 of his fighters had been killed since the group began their attacks – although this claim has not been verified.
Who are the Houthis?
THE Houthi rebels are terrorising the Red Sea by launching persistent missile and drone attacks on vessels and warships – but who are they?
The Shia militant group, which now controls most of Yemen, spent over a decade being largely ignored by the world.
However, since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war they sprung from relative obscurity to holding roughly £1trillion of world trade hostage – turning one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes into an active warzone.
Their warped slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews and victory to Islam”.
Why are they attacking ships?
The rebel group has been launching relentless drone and missile attacks on any ships – including warships – they deem to be connected with Israel in solidarity with their ally, Hamas.
However, in reality there have been frequent attacks on commercial vessels with little or no link to Israel – forcing global sea traffic to halt operations in the region and sending shipping prices soaring.
The sea assaults have threatened to ignite a full-blown war in the Middle East as intense ripples from Israel’s war in Gaza are felt across the region – with Iran suspected of stoking the chaos.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea increased 50 per cent between November and December as the rebel group’s chiefs pledged their assaults would continue until Israel stopped its offensive in Gaza.
And despite repeated threats from the West and joint US and UK strikes blitzing their strongholds in Yemen – Iran’s terror proxy appears undeterred.
Last week, three sailors were killed in the first fatal Houthi assault on a US cargo ship off the cost of southern Yemen.
The traumatised survivors onboard the Barbados-flagged carrier True Confidence had to be plucked from the water by a chopper after the missile attack.
Earlier this month, the Rubymar, a UK-owned carrier, became the first ship to sink as a result of a Houthi attack, after floating for two weeks with severe damage from a missile strike.
All crew were safely evacuated from that vessel.
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