by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Houthi fighters have said they would renew attacks on commercial ships if Israel does not resume humanitarian aid shipments into Gaza by Tuesday, 11 March.

The rebels issued a four-day ultimatum on Friday, 7 March, saying they would restart their attacks against Israeli ships, potentially disrupting maritime activities in the region.

Earlier this month, the Israeli government suspended all humanitarian aid to Gaza following HAMAS's rejection of a ceasefire extension.

This suspension has led to heightened tensions, with the Houthis, backed by Iran, threatening to escalate their actions.

The Houthis had previously launched over 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from late 2023 through last year.

These attacks ceased in January following a tentative ceasefire deal between Israel and HAMAS.