Houthi Group Threatens To Increase Attacks And Use Submarine Weapons In The Red Sea

The missile launch from the United States warship targeted the Houthi group. (Twitter @CENTCOM)

JAKARTA - Iran's allied Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for attacks on British cargo ships and drone attacks on American destroyers on Thursday, targeting Israel's port city and resort, Eilat, with ballistic missiles and drones.

A statement by Houthi representatives on social media site X came shortly after the group's leader said it was stepping up attacks on ships in the Red Sea and other waters, including with a new "submarine weapon", to emulate Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

"Operations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, and Aden Bay continue, increasing and effective," Abdul Malik al-Houthi added in a televised address.

However, al-Houthi did not provide further details about the submarine weapon he was referring to.

The Houthi militant group has launched repeated drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Aden Bay since November to support Palestinians, as the Israel-Hamas war continues and the death toll in Gaza reaches nearly 30,000.

The attacks carried out by the group disrupted key trade routes in the Suez Canal which accounted for about 12 percent of global maritime traffic, forcing companies to take longer and more expensive routes around Africa.

On Thursday, the group sent an official notification to the sender of goods and insurance companies about what they refer to as a ban on ships linked to Israel, the US and Britain to sail in the surrounding sea, in a bid to strengthen their military campaigns.

The Houthi communications, the first to the shipping industry to outline the ban, came in the form of two notifications from the newly called Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center which was sent to insurance companies and shipping companies. The goal is to force shipping companies to collaborate with the Houthis to ensure the safety of their ships,

Ships belonging to individuals or entities in Israel, the US, and Britain, or sailing under their flags, are prohibited from sailing in the Red Sea, Aden Bay, and the Arabian Sea, notices said on Thursday.

"The Humanitarian Operations Center was established in Sanaa to coordinate ship and ship trips that have nothing to do with Israel safely and peacefully," a senior Houthi official told Reuters on Thursday.

militant leader al-Houthi said the US-UK coalition's retaliatory attacks failed to stop their campaign.

Earlier, two missiles burned a ship about 70 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen on Thursday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Agency (UKMTO) said. The ship and its crew are reportedly safe and continue their journey to the next port, he said in the next update.

British-flagged Palau, Islander, is on its way to Egypt from Thailand, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey and ship tracking data.

Meanwhile, US CENTCOM said in a post on social media, the US shot down six Houthi drones in the Red Sea after they were identified as threats to US warships and allies.

So far, it is said that no ship sank or crew members were killed during the Houthis campaign.

Yesterday, the Israeli military also said it intercepted targets in the Red Sea region after sirens warning of rockets and missiles were heard in the southern city of Eilat.