Houthi Spokesperson Confirms No Inclusion of Israel in Ceasefire Agreement
Rewritten Article:
The Houthis in Yemen's recent truce with the U.S. excludes Israel, as the agreement centers around halting attacks on U.S. ships and de-escalating tensions with the States. The Houthis have made it crystal clear that this truce does not apply to Israel—suggesting their attacks against Israeli interests, such as shipping, will persist.
Washington has been under fire for its increased bombing campaigns on the Houthis this year, with concerns over civilian casualties mounted by rights activists. Nevertheless, President Trump announced the U.S. would cease its strikes, citing the Houthis' agreement to halt attacks on American vessels.
Mediated by Oman, the truce has managed to halt Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea area since early January. However, Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam confirmed that Israel was not a part of the agreement. To further illustrate this, Houthi spokesperson added that they would indeed target Israel if the U.S. resumed attacks on Yemen.
Israeli airstrikes were already carried out in response to Houthi drone attacks that were launched from Yemen’s east, with some missiles reportedly falling outside the country's borders. Evidently, tensions still prevail between the two nations, despite the truce, and it's apparent that hostilities have persisted.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has not hesitated to warn the Houthis and their Iranian backers, stating they would face "heavy blows" if attacks persist. This foreshadows Israel's readiness to counter Houthi aggression and Iran's involvement in such conflicts, as the two nations remain in Iran's crosshairs.
The Gaza war precipitated the Houthis' hostile actions towards Israel—initiating attacks on Israel and shipping in the Red Sea from October 2023 onwards. In its ongoing operation known as Operation Rough Rider, the U.S. military reports it has hit over 1,000 Houthis targets, claiming to have killed hundreds of fighters and numerous leaders. Tensions have risen since a Houthi missile landed near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in late 2022, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Hodeidah port in Yemen.
During tensions escalated, the U.S. and Britain retaliated against Houthi targets with air strikes to safeguard the crucial Red Sea trading route—a passage for around 15% of global shipping traffic. Tensions between the Houthis and Israel were amplified after Trump announced heightened U.S. airstrikes in March 20XX, following the Houthis' threat to resume attacks on Israeli ships traversing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
On April 28, 20XX, a suspected U.S. airstrike reportedly struck a migrant center in Yemen, killing 68 individuals as per Houthi TV. The truce may have placated tensions between the U.S. and the Houthis, but Israel stands firm—prepared to defend itself against Houthi attacks and Iranian proxies that threaten its security.
- Despite the ceasefire deal between the Houthis and the U.S. excluding Israel, the Houthis have indicated that their attacks against Israeli vessels will continue.
- The Houthis' recent truce with the U.S., which was mediated by Oman, does not apply to Israel, according to Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam.
- The Houthis have persisted in their attacks against Israeli interests, even though they agreed to a truce halting attacks on American vessels.
- As tensions between the Houthis and Israel remain high, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned the Houthis and their Iranian backers that they will face "heavy blows" if attacks against Israel persist.
