New Houthi threats to ships in Red Sea, Eilat

Yemen’s Houthi group launched several ballistic missiles at military posts in the southern city of Eilat, the group’s military spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Houthis said they would continue to “carry out their military operations against the Israeli enemy, as well as implementing the decision to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Arab and Red Seas in support of the oppressed Palestinian people.”

Additionally, the Iran-backed Houthis threatened ships in the Red Sea and Israel again on Wednesday.

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said that it had “received a report of an incident involving an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) in the vicinity of position 1425N 04212E, 47 nm. west of port Hodeidah, Yemen.” Hodeidah is an important port in Yemen.

According to Al-Arabiya, the reports led to warnings for ships transiting the area. “British maritime security company Ambrey also said on Wednesday that it was aware of a drone incident in the same area and that it was investigating.

According to subsequent reports, the USS Mason, a naval warship, shot down a drone in the Red Sea. It was unclear if this was linked to the same warning. The incidents follow a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since war broke out between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on October 7,” Al-Arabiya said.

An hour and a half after the UKMTO report, at around 13:11, sirens sounded in Eilat due to a missile threat. The UKMTO report was at around 11:40 a.m. It is not clear if the two incidents are connected.

The IDF said: “Following the report regarding sirens that sounded in the city of Eilat, a launch of a surface-to-surface missile toward Israel was identified, and was successfully intercepted in the area of the Red Sea by the Arrow Aerial Defense System.”

The IDF added that the “target did not cross into Israeli territory, did not pose a threat to civilians, and the sirens that sounded were according to protocol.”

The Houthis said in a statement Wednesday that they had launched a number of ballistic missiles at Eilat.

Additional incidents

The report by UKMTO follows another report on December 3 of multiple incidents near the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

At the time, US Central Command said that “there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea. These three vessels are connected to 14 separate nations. The Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer USS Carney, responded to the distress calls from the ships and provided assistance.”

The Houthis have threatened shipping and in a statement this week, they said that their attacks on ships are designed to target ships linked to Israel. They also claim this has had an impact on Israel.

The Houthi Al-Masirah media highlighted its anti-ship missile capabilities on December 6. Houthi media and US Central Command did not mention the December 6 incidents as of the time this report was published. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the Saudis had urged US restraint regarding the Houthi attacks and provocations. The US also appears concerned about re-designating the Houthis as a terrorist group, essentially giving them impunity for further attacks.

Reuters contributed to this report.