Yemen Monitor / Reports Unit /Agencies:
On Monday, the Yemeni Houthi group hinted at the possibility of resuming its attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea. This comes as a U.S. aircraft carrier approaches the region amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, fueled by Tehran’s violent crackdown on domestic protests.
The Iranian-backed Houthi group released a video on Monday featuring footage of a previous attack targeting the British-linked oil tanker Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden in January 2024. The group explained that the previous attack was a response to U.S. strikes on Yemen due to the latter’s support for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The group added that 228 ships in the Red Sea have been targeted as part of its efforts to support Gaza, concluding the video with the phrase: “What is coming will be greater.”
The Houthis began launching drone and missile attacks against maritime shipping in the Red Sea in October 2023 in response to the Israeli offensive on Gaza. These attacks had largely ceased last October after a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement in Gaza went into effect.
Another short video published Sunday by “Yemeni Military Media”—run by the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Defense—showed footage of a ship on fire, captioned with the word: “Soon.”
A Warning to Trump Administration
These clips appear to serve as a warning to the Trump administration, which has threatened military action against Iran following the killing of anti-regime protesters. The Iranian regime has accused the U.S. and Israel of inciting chaos during protests that began over deteriorating economic conditions last December.
On Sunday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that at least 5,848 people had been killed during the unrest, including 209 members of the security forces, as the country entered its eighteenth day of a nationwide internet shutdown.
U.S. Military Mobilization
The Houthi warnings coincide with the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in Middle Eastern waters. A U.S. official told Al-Monitor that the carrier is equipped with F/A-18 and F-35 fighter squadrons and is accompanied by multiple destroyers.
Last week, President Donald Trump confirmed that U.S. “fleets” were heading toward Iran “just in case.” Returning from Davos on Thursday, Trump told reporters: “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and we’ll see what happens.”
Regional Reactions
Despite the buildup, tensions remain volatile. While Trump suggested in mid-January that he might hold off on strikes if the killing of protesters stopped, Iran has warned of a “painful and decisive” response to any aggression.
- United Arab Emirates: Issued a statement Monday affirming it will not allow its airspace, territory, or waters to be used for hostile military actions against Iran, nor provide logistical support for such an operation.
- Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah: Called on fighters worldwide to prepare for a “total war” in support of Iran, warning that a conflict with the Islamic Republic “will not be a picnic.”
