Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, on Sunday in a televised speech, announced a ban on American-owned merchant ships navigating the Red Sea.

“We attacked the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman with 18 Ballistic Missiles and drones, we will not hesitate to target all US warships in Red Sea and Arabian Sea”

Houthi claimed that the decision was in response to U.S. aggression, expanding an existing prohibition that initially targeted only Israeli-linked vessels.

He stressed that the ban would remain in effect as long as U.S. military actions against the Houthis persist, signaling an escalation in the group’s maritime campaign.

He also indicated that American warships, including aircraft carriers, could become targets, framing the move as a retaliatory measure.

This latest ban on U.S. ships follows intensified American and British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including a significant operation on March 15, 2025, which reportedly killed at least 19 people.