Houthis say they will target all ships heading to Israel, including those in the Mediterranean

(Patria) - Yemeni Houthis will target ships heading to Israeli ports in any area within their reach, military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised speech on Friday.

- We will target all ships heading towards Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea in any area we can reach - Sarea said, Reuters reported.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have launched drone and missile attacks on ships in key shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November to show their support for Palestinians in the war in Gaza.

This has forced shippers to reroute cargo on longer and more expensive journeys around the southern tip of Africa and has fueled fears that the war between Israel and Hamas could spread and destabilize the Middle East.