Yemen's Houthi armed forces announced this morning, July 27, 2025, the implementation of the fourth stage of their maritime blockade, which will target all ships belonging to companies that deal with Israeli ports, regardless of the company's nationality or the ship's location. This escalation comes as part of their stated commitment to the war in Gaza. The announcement, made by the official spokesman of the Yemeni Armed Forces, signifies a broadening of their naval operations. The new phase explicitly includes targeting any company that does business with Israeli ports, a move that observers suggest could encompass U.S.-linked vessels. Separately, a video clip documented Houthi members attacking women and children following the arrest of individuals from the "Al-Bathan" tribe in the Al-Marashi district of Al-Jouf Governorate, in an incident reportedly related to land confiscation. The timing and direct link between the tribal incident and the maritime blockade announcement were not immediately clear. The Houthi armed forces stated that these escalatory options are in response to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. The group has previously engaged in actions targeting shipping it associates with Israel. Further details on the exact timing of the statement were provided as 11:30 PM, indicating the announcement was made late yesterday evening relative to the current date.
