According to the latest reports, Yemen's Houthi rebels issued a statement on December 9 local time, declaring that if food and medicine cannot enter the Gaza Strip, any ship heading for Israel will become a "legitimate target" for its strikes. This tough stance has made the Houthis a new focal point in the Middle East and has the potential to become a dominant factor in the fight against Israel.
Recent missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against U.S. and Israeli targets have shown that the group is becoming an undesirable danger factor in the Middle East. Its claims to be assisting the Palestinian people have further heightened tensions in the region. While there is a widespread belief in the West that the Houthis are covertly supporting Hamas, this is not surprising given that the two groups share some degree of alignment.
However, in stark contrast to Hamas's predicament, the Houthis appear to be in full swing. At the same time, Arab countries have only silently watched in the face of attacks on Israeli enclaves, and no one dares to speak out publicly. This allowed the Houthis to take advantage of Yemen's strategic position to launch a deadly attack on Israel.
According to reports, Israeli adviser Tsarhi Hanegbi warned that Israel is ready to take matters into its own hands if the international community does not take action against the destruction of Red Sea shipping by Yemen's Houthi rebels. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has communicated with U.S. Biden and European leaders about Houthi attacks on merchant ships allegedly linked to Israel, Hanegbi told Israel.
In the midst of this seemingly endless conflict, Yemen's Houthis seem to have provoked Israel. The Houthis have said that they have banned all ships bound for Israel from sailing in the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea, which undoubtedly poses a serious threat to Israel's maritime lifeline. In view of Israel's continued siege and attacks on the population of Gaza, the Houthis have even announced that they will ban any ships bound for Israel from sailing in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea if the Gaza Strip does not receive the food and medicine it needs.
For coastal countries, once the sea ** passage is threatened by hostile forces, it will be troublesome. If it is applied to Israel, it is undoubtedly a huge challenge to ***. This has led to an increase in international concern about the actions of the Houthis in Yemen.
Overall, the current situation is undoubtedly worse for Israel. Hamas's plight is already a headache for Israel, and the presence of the Houthis has left Israel defenseless. It also proves once again that there are no real winners in conflicts in the Middle East, only endless suffering and destruction. It is hoped that the international community will find a solution to the conflict in the region as soon as possible so that peace can come to this war-torn land at an early date.