Yemen's Houthi rebels have threatened to target ships bound for Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea, as the group on Friday announced further escalation in what they say is retaliation for Israeli attacks in Gaza.
The Houthis would target all ships "heading to the ports of occupied Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea in any area within our reach," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement.
The Iran-backed militia, which has controlled parts of Yemen since 2014, has been targeting ships bound for Israeli ports or those owned by Israeli companies in the Red and Arabian seas and Indian Ocean for months.
In their statement, the Houthis said they plan to expand their attacks in case Israel begins "an aggressive military operation against Rafah," referring to the city in southern Gaza where more than 1 million Palestinians are currently sheltering from fighting elsewhere in the coastal area.
The Houthis also vowed to target all vessels owned by companies that provide supplies to Israel, regardless of their destination.
On Thursday, the militia's chief Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said the group has targeted 107 vessels using 606 ballistic and winged missiles and drones since they began their campaign.
The Houthis have also attacked US and British ships off Yemen after the two countries began launching strikes on areas under the group's control.
Washington, London and other Western countries have launched operations to protect ships in the region. The European Union has also deployed a military operation to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea, one of the most important shipping routes for world trade, as it connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal in Egypt.
Major shipping companies have been avoiding the route and sail the much longer journey around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope instead.
