The Iran-backed Houthis are threatening to renew attacks on Israel if the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas collapses. The Houthis had been relatively quiet for several weeks as the ceasefire seemed to hold. But recently in a new message they have warned that they are ready to launch attacks on Israel if it resumes attacks on Gaza and does not commit to the ceasefire deal.
The ceasefire deal looks extremely “fragile and shaky” risking another escalation of hostilities and attacks against merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, the Houthi leader stated, “Our fingers are on the trigger, and we are ready to respond immediately if the enemy intensifies its attacks on Gaza.”
The situation spiralled further when President Donald Trump said that the “hell will break out” if hostages are not returned by Saturday 12 o’clock.
Donald Trump responding to questions if there will be any retaliation, he said that “Hamas will find out what I mean.”
“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” the president told reporters.
“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday, and if they’re not returned – all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two. Saturday at 12 o’clock, and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out.”
Trump expressed scepticism that many hostages remain alive to release, telling reporters, “I think a lot of the hostages are dead.”
Pressed on what “all hell” might entail in Gaza, Trump said, “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out – Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call on Tuesday from the prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen.
Regarding the situation in Bab al-Mandab, the two sides stressed the urgent need to continue efforts to counter threats and attacks against commercial shipping, citing the detrimental effect on global trade, Suez Canal revenues, and major shipping companies.
The Houthis have launched several attacks throughout the war. Since November 2023, the Iran-backed Houthis have carried out many attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and launched missiles and drones towards Israel.
But they said they would “monitor the developments after the ceasefire agreement,” and be “ready to support” if the agreement is breached by Israel.
In a statement last month, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the Houthis have launched over 350 projectiles since October 7.
They claim that since the start of the war, the Houthis have launched approximately 40 surface-to-surface missiles from Yemen toward Israel.
