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Houthis Announce Fourth Phase of Red Sea Blockade Targeting Israel-Linked Shipping

The group says it will target any merchant vessel linked to Israel until the Gaza blockade ends.

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FILE - Houthi supporters attend a rally against the U.S.-led airstrikes on Yemen and in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Yemen, in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Feb. 09, 2024. Despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have launched attacks seriously damaging a ship in the crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait and apparently bringing down an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars.
In this handout screen grab captured from a video provided by the Houthi group media center on July 9, it shows the targeted commercial vessel named "the Magic Seas" is targeted by the Houthi group's recent attack on July 8, 2025, in the Red Sea, Yemen.
A vessel said to be Greek-operated, Liberia-flagged Eternity C sinks in a footage released by Yemen's Houthis, in the Red Sea, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 9, 2025. HOUTHI MEDIA CENTER/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • On July 27, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree declared the start of a fourth phase in the group’s naval campaign, vowing to strike any ship serving Israeli ports within the reach of their missiles and drones.
  • Early in July, the rebels sank two Greek-operated, Liberian-flagged bulk carriers—the Magic Seas and the Eternity C—killing at least four crew members and leaving ten believed held captive while ten were rescued.
  • Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks on Red Sea vessels in solidarity with Palestinians, temporarily pausing after U.S. strikes in March and a mid-May truce.
  • The blockade has disrupted the Red Sea corridor that carries nearly $1 trillion in annual trade, prompting costly rerouting around Africa and soaring insurance premiums.
  • Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led maritime effort, has mounted a restrained response to the new phase as international partners weigh further action.