Houthi movementThe Houthis, who control about 30 percent of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, were clear in his speech.
They will continue to attack ships in the Red Sea, until a ceasefire is reached in the Gaza Strip and humanitarian aid is allowed to enter.
On Thursday night, a commercial ship was said to have been hit by a missile fired from Yemen.
The explosion is said to have occurred shortly after the Houthis announced they had fired missiles at an American ship en route to Israel.
US forces reportedly shot down ten Houthi drones on Thursday night, according to the US Defense Command.
The US is also said to have attacked a ground control station in Yemen.
The downed drones must have been sent in the direction of merchant ships and US Navy ships in the Red Sea.
In addition, the US warship USS Carney is said to have shot down a missile sent from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen, as well as three Iranian drones.
Attacks and tensions have escalated in the Red Sea since the outbreak of the war between Hamas and Israel. The Houthis said they mainly wanted to strike ships on their way to Israel, or those linked to Israel.
Norwegian-owned ships were also hit.
The Strinda ship, which was on its way to Israel, was hit by a missile last December. In addition, the tanker MS “Swan Atlantic” was attacked by a drone. The ship is owned by the Norwegian chemical tanker company Inventor Chemical Tankers.
In November, the Houthis hijacked the partly British- and Israeli-owned cargo ship Galaxy Leader. The 25 people on board were taken hostage. Today the ship is considered a tourist attraction in Yemen.
Photography: Khaled Abdullah – Reuters
Shipping decreased by a third
Fearing attacks, many shipping companies have now changed their routes, instead traveling around Africa. Other companies include the Danish container shipping company Mærsk.
It takes much longer and costs more. Goods from Asia in particular are experiencing delays, which also affects Norwegian consumers.
This consequently had serious consequences for the global economy and delayed trade.
Container shipping in the Red Sea has fallen by nearly a third since the Houthi offensive began, according to the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday.
This is why the United States formed the so-called Red Sea Protection Alliance last December, but with the aim of ensuring safe traffic along the well-known trade route.
Support for the Houthi offensive in the Red Sea is strong in Yemen. The people stand with the Palestinians in the war.
Photography: Khaled Abdullah – Reuters
Penalties and expulsion
The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Seychelles and Spain are participating in the operation. Norway contributed up to ten staff officers.
The operation was called “Prosperity Guardian”, velstandsverje in Norwegian.
The United States and Great Britain launched a counterattack against the Houthi militia for the first time on January 12, and imposed sanctions on the Houthis. The United States also saw the Iranian-backed group returned to its terrorist list.
The Houthi movement responded by expelling American and British aid workers from Yemen, a country that relies entirely on humanitarian support.
“Coffee trailblazer. Certified pop culture lover. Infuriatingly humble gamer.”
