The Houthis have long been staunch supporters of the Palestinians. Recently, they have launched another attack on Israel, further demonstrating their hostility and spirit of resistance to Israel. According to a report by the United States**, a merchant ship loaded with chemicals was attacked in the Red Sea, and the actual destination of the ship was Israel. The Houthis later announced that they would fire a missile at the ship as a retaliatory response to Israel. The Houthis said that any ship heading for Israel was their "legitimate target" and warned the ship not to ignore the warning. The attack led to the almost complete blockade of Israel's Red Sea routes, and Israel's port profits plummeted.
Syria is one of the backers of the Houthis. According to the Russian news agency Sputnik, Syria and other Arab countries discussed at the meeting how to impose an embargo blockade on Israel. However, to date, no effective countermeasures have been taken. In contrast, the Houthis have acted decisively by launching attacks on Israel and blocking Israel's Red Sea routes. This attack is not only a blow to Israel, but also shows the influence and determination of the Houthis in the Middle East.
The actions taken by the Houthis have been simple and crude, but they have been very effective. They inflicted huge economic losses on Israel by attacking merchant ships and blocking Israel's Red Sea routes. According to the director general of the Israeli port of Eilat, the blockade of Israel's Red Sea route has led to an 80 to 85 percent drop in port profits. The value of cargo on a single cargo ship is often in the millions or even tens of millions of dollars, and an attack on multiple ships would have a huge impact on the Israeli economy.
The Houthis' purpose is clear, they hope to force Israel to stop its indiscriminate bombardment of the Gaza Strip and restrictions on humanitarian aid by attacking Israeli ships. Unwilling to cease fire and continuing to bomb Gaza, the Houthis will continue to carry out attacks on Israeli-linked ships. In this way, the Houthis hope will make Israel feel pain and loss and force it to change its attitude towards the Palestinians.
The Houthis' confrontational approach is direct and forceful. They used missiles to attack merchant ships, blockaded Israel's Red Sea routes, and effectively hit Israel's economy and transportation. The Houthi actions are directed against Israel, but at the same time they pose a threat to the United States. In previous attacks in the Red Sea, Houthi drones flew directly to US ships. Although the United States knew that the Houthis would tighten the ban on Israeli shipping, it chose not to intervene. In this case, the Houthi ban on Israeli shipping has become the most serious blow to Israel.
The Houthis' hard-line stance and control over Israel have kept the United States from intervening. The U.S. fears that meddling could trigger a larger conflict, and the Houthis have made it clear that if the U.S. intervenes again, they will take more aggressive action, including firing missiles at U.S. ships. Thus, while the United States has maintained some in the face of Houthi attacks on Israel, it has also demonstrated the Houthis' influence in the Middle East and their determination to confront Israel.
The Houthi actions against Israel have once again raised concerns about the Palestinian issue. Although their methods are violent and direct, their spirit of support and resistance for the Palestinians cannot be denied. While the Houthi actions have caused enormous economic losses to Israel, the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip and restrictions on humanitarian assistance is even more serious by comparison.
As humanitarian advocates, we should think about how to resolve the Palestinian issue through peaceful means, rather than confronting each other. Israel should cease its indiscriminate bombardment of the Gaza Strip and open more humanitarian access routes. And the Houthis, as representatives of the Palestinians, should also consider fighting for their rights and interests through peaceful means, rather than retaliating through violent means. Peace and prosperity in the Middle East can be achieved only through peaceful dialogue and joint efforts.