LONDON (Reuters) – Yemen’s Houthis will limit their attacks on commercial vessels to ships linked to Israel after the ceasefire in Gaza comes into effect, according to the Yemen-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre.
The HOCC, which serves as a liaison between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators, said in an email to shipping industry officials dated Jan. 19 that it was halting “sanctions” against vessels owned by individuals or American or British entities, as well as against ships sailing under their flags.
“We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United States Kingdom (TADAWUL:) …sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor,” the email said. “You will be immediately informed of such measures should they be implemented.”
The HOCC said they would stop attacking Israel-linked ships “once all phases of the agreement have been fully implemented.”
Many of the world’s largest shipping companies have suspended shipping through the Red Sea and diverted their ships around southern Africa to avoid being attacked.
The Iran-backed Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023, sinking two vessels, capturing another and killing at least four sailors.
The Houthis have attacked the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are joined by the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a bottleneck between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Hamas freed three Israeli hostages in Gaza and Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of a ceasefire that suspends a 15-month war that has devastated the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East.