Houthi Leader Threatens: Our Attacks Will Expand to the Indian Ocean

Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthis, stated in a televised speech on Thursday, "With the expansion of our operations, we will target ships passing through the Indian Ocean and Cape of Good Hope, in addition to the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden." He described the expansion of offensive operations against commercial ships as "a significant step" and added, "We have already begun our operations in this regard." The Houthi missile, drone, and surface-to-surface attacks on maritime trade that began in November have forced many global shipping lines to take longer routes through the Indian Ocean and Cape of Good Hope instead of the more economical Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, leading to increased shipping costs and ultimately higher prices for consumers. The Houthi leader did not explain how this threat would be implemented in oceanic waters far from Yemen, but some news agencies reported on March 14 that the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen had acquired "hypersonic" missiles. A military source close to the Houthis confirmed the testing of the hypersonic missile and stated that the group is preparing to incorporate these missiles into its military arsenal. John Kirby, the White House National Security Council communications advisor, denied reports on Thursday regarding the Houthis being equipped with hypersonic missiles, stating in response to a question from the Persian section of Voice of America, "Those reports are incorrect. There is absolutely no evidence that the Houthis have access to supersonic weapons." Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels have repeatedly spoken in recent weeks about unveiling a new "surprise" to fight against the U.S. and its allies in the region's waters. The destructive actions of the Houthis continue, even as many of the group's attacks have been thwarted by American forces or the coalition, and numerous of their bases within Yemen have been targeted by independent or joint attacks from the U.S. military and other allied countries. The Biden administration, which had removed the Houthis from the list of terrorist organizations shortly after taking office in January 2021, placed the group back on the list of "specially designated global terrorists" on February 16, 2023. The White House told Voice of America: Reports about the Houthis being equipped with hypersonic missiles are incorrect. Claims by the Russian state news agency: The Houthis currently possess "hypersonic missiles." An explosion occurred near a ship in southeastern Aden. The Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile; CENTCOM reported that four drones were destroyed. The U.S. intelligence community stated that the Islamic Republic is considered a "regional threat" and a "source of widespread destructive activities." Reuters reported that the European Union intends to respond to the Iranian government's military support for Russia with "new and significant measures." The legitimate Yemeni government confirmed the deaths of at least 11 people in U.S. and British attacks on Houthi positions. U.S. intelligence agencies, referencing international threats, state that the country is facing a "fragile global order."