Yemen's Houthis claim to target 102 Israeli, US, UK ships amid Gaza conflict

Yemen's Houthi group said Thursday that it had targeted 102 Israeli, US and British vessels since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict last October.

"Some 102 Israel, US and British ships were attacked during 202 days of Israeli aggression on Gaza," group leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a speech aired by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah television.

He added that around two Israel-linked ships are targeted daily by his group.

"The navigation of US ships in the Red Sea has dropped by 80%," he added.

There was no immediate comment from the US, the UK or Israel on the claim.

The Houthis have been targeting ships that are Israeli-owned, flagged, operated, or heading to Israeli ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under a devastating Israeli offensive since Oct. 7, 2023.

With the US and UK launching retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi sites inside Yemen, the Houthis declared that they consider all American and British ships military targets.