Yemen’s Houthi rebels have indicated that they have ceased their assaults on Israel and maritime activities in the Red Sea as a fragile ceasefire persists in Gaza. In an unspecified letter to Hamas’ Qassam Brigades shared online by the group, the Houthis have given their strongest indication that their attacks have ceased. The letter, penned by Maj.-Gen. Yusuf Hassan al-Madani, the chief of staff of the Houthi military, states the group’s readiness to resume military operations inside Israel and reinstate the ban on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas if Israel renews aggression against Gaza.
The Houthis have not officially acknowledged the cessation of their activities in the region. Israel’s military, which has targeted and eliminated senior Houthi leaders, refrained from commenting when contacted by The Associated Press. In September, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of a forceful response to Houthi attacks, vowing to retaliate “sevenfold” for incidents like the drone attack in Eilat that injured 22 people.
During the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Houthis gained global attention for their strikes on Israeli and shipping targets, purportedly to pressure Israel to cease hostilities. Since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, the rebel group has not claimed any attacks. Despite the Houthis’ assertion that their actions targeted Israel-related vessels, the vessels attacked had little to no connection to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The assaults have resulted in the deaths of at least nine sailors and the sinking of four ships, disrupting shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial route for approximately $1 trillion worth of goods annually before the conflict.
In the most recent incident, the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht was attacked on September 29, resulting in the death of one crew member and the injury of another. The attacks have severely impacted traffic through the Suez Canal in Egypt, a vital source of revenue for the country, contributing $10 billion in 2023 amid economic challenges. The International Monetary Fund highlighted that the Houthi attacks led to a $6 billion reduction in foreign exchange inflows from the Suez Canal in 2024.
While there has been a slight increase in traffic due to the decreased attacks, many shipping companies opt to bypass the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by navigating around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. The U.S. launched a vigorous bombing campaign against the rebels earlier this year, which was halted by President Donald Trump before his Middle East visit. The Biden administration also conducted strikes against the Houthis, including utilizing B-2 bombers to target underground bunkers used by the group.