The rebel Houthi group in Yemen says it will target merchant ships belonging to any company that does business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, as part of what it described as the fourth phase of its naval operation against Israel.

Yemen's Houthis announced Sunday they would be escalating their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, attacking any vessel with ties to firms dealing with Israeli ports. This, they said, was part of the fourth phase of their military operations against Israel in what they have expressed to be their acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.