Tensions Rise as Houthi Rebels Warn of Missile Attacks Amid Gaza Ceasefire Uncertainty
On Tuesday, following announcements from the US and Israel that cast doubt on the future of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Yemen’s Houthi rebels warned that they could resume ballistic missile attacks if hostilities against Hamas restart.
On January 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement had been reached with Hamas, which set conditions for ending the conflict in Gaza. This announcement met the demands of the Houthi rebels, who had been targeting shipping in the Red Sea for over a year in response to Israeli actions in Gaza. Houthi leaders promised to halt attacks on foreign shipping, except for certain Israeli vessels.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has remained intact, as has the fragile peace in the Red Sea. However, the stability of this situation seems precarious. Last week, US President Donald Trump stated that the US would “own” and redevelop Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” which would require two million Palestinians to leave permanently. He also demanded the release of all 76 remaining Israeli hostages by February 15, significantly accelerating the ceasefire framework negotiated by Hamas and Israel.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu indicated that Hamas was not adhering to the terms of the hostage exchange and threatened to resume military operations in Gaza if all 76 hostages were not returned by Saturday. Hamas maintains that it is committed to the ceasefire and the agreement for hostage release.
The potential for renewed conflict in Gaza has deterred most major shipping companies from returning to the Red Sea due to fears of renewed Houthi attacks and rising insurance costs. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi emphasized this concern in a statement on Tuesday.
“Our hands are on the trigger and we are ready to immediately escalate against the Israeli enemy if it returns to escalate against the Gaza Strip,” al-Houthi stated. “Do you think the people of Gaza, who resisted the [Israeli] bombings, would sell their homeland to you?”
Previous Houthi missile strikes on Israeli territory have led to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes, which have severely damaged the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah and other vital infrastructure in western Yemen.
