Houthi rebels say that they will expand their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea to include any ships that do business at Israeli ports.

According to the Associated Press, the Houthi's plans announced on July 27 are part of an escalation described as the fourth phase of their naval campaign against Israel. The group said that moving forward, it will target "all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company." The rebel group also stated that any countries looking to avert this escalation should pressure Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Houthi rebels attacked and sank the Greek-owned Magic Seas container ship on July 6, although all 22 crew members were successfully rescued. The group attacked a second Greek-owned vessel, the Eternity C, a day later, killing four crew members and taking 11 others captive. Prior to those two incidents, Houthis hadn't attacked a merchant ship in the Red Sea since December 2024, as part of a ceasefire agreement that was later broken as tensions escalated between Israel and Iran. The group has targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones dating back to November 2023.