A Middle East rebel militia threatened more violence against Red Sea shipping if the United States follows through on threats to attack Iran.
The Houthi militia based in Yemen released a theatrical-style trailer Sunday depicting a cargo ship, military vessel and what appears to be a tanker on fire set to an ominous score and closing with the single Arabic word, “Soon”.
The video comes after President Donald Trump earlier threatened a U.S. military response to the killing of Iranians protesting the Islamic government led by cleric Ali Khamenei. As many as 35,000 protesters have reportedly died in the demonstrations demanding economic reforms.
Trump in a social media post at the outset of the demonstrations urged protesters to continue, saying “help is on the way.” But Washington has taken a wait-and-see approach as Tehran reasserted control over the protests that at first seemed to threaten the regime.
The Houthis, who control about 40% of Yemen, since late 2023 waged attacks on shipping in solidarity with Palestinians that all but shut down global container and crude oil traffic through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, a critical trade lane connecting China with ports in the Mediterranean, Europe and the United States. Carriers re-routed ships away from the region and around the tip of Africa, adding as much as 14 days and higher operating expenses to a typical voyage.
The diversions were a windfall for carriers in 2024 who saw their bottom lines swell by billions of dollars. But Trump’s tariff war with China in 2025 spurred a sweeping trade reset as China sought new markets in Europe and elsewhere amid weaker U.S. import demand. Ocean container rates fell dramatically as shippers navigated an uncertain and uneven market.
The Houthi threat comes as Maersk (MAERSK-B.CO) and CMA CGM had recently reestablished scheduled services through the Suez Canal, a phase-in process designed to gradually return what is estimated to be 2 million containers’ worth of diverted capacity. Carriers are not only wrangling with weaker rates, but also the introduction of new tonnage that in some regions aggravated a growing demand imbalance.
Houthi spokesman Brigadier Yahya Saree in a statement said, “With the escalation of possibilities of launching a military strike against Iran…we affirm our position and its stand alongside any Arab or Islamic country exposed to Zionist aggression or deciding to confront this aggression in self-defense, or supporting and aiding the mujahideen in the Palestinian resistance.
“We will not abandon our brothers in the Gaza Strip, and we will not allow this criminal entity, supported by America, to implement its plans in the region.”
Fears of a U.S. offensive grew recently as Israeli airline El Al reportedly offered unrestricted refunds for flights scheduled in the coming weeks.
Iran had been a material supporter of the Houthis. But the Yemen rebels pulled back their campaign in 2025 as Tehran increasingly turned its resources to confronting an array of internal issues.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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