Houthi rebels based in Yemen, in response to Israeli attacks and the bombing of Gaza, have been attacking merchant shipping using the Red Sea route. With attacks that began in mid-November, the Houthis, using drones and anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMS), have tried to board or boarded ships. There has even been an instance of the hijacking of the Galaxy Leader, using a helicopter.
The various methods and choice of weaponry are an indication of the type of assets available to the rebels and the type of training they are receiving. The United States had removed the Houthis from its terror listing even though Saudi Arabia had warned of the danger of Houthi attacks. But in a new development, the U.S., from mid-February, “will consider the Houthis a specially designated global terrorist” group, which could block its access to the global financial system, among other measures.
