Houthi attacks in Red Sea to cease when Israel ends Gaza offensive, says Yemeni group

By Anadolu staff

SANAA, Yemen (AA) - Yemen's Houthi group said Tuesday that it would halt its attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden only when Israel ends its offensive on the Gaza Strip.

"Our military operations are ethical and aim to protect human rights and freedom, and will not stop unless the aggression against Gaza is stopped and the siege on its residents is lifted," the group said in a statement.

"Our demands are fair, logical and clear. Stop the aggression against Gaza, lift the siege on its residents, and we will stop our military operations," it added.

On Monday, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions aimed at cutting off weapons, supplies and funding to the Yemeni group.

The Houthis have been targeting cargo ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with Gaza, where more than 37,350 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli onslaught since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

With tensions escalating due to US-UK airstrikes against Houthi sites, the group declared that it considered all American and British ships to be legitimate military targets.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.