Shipping lines have been advised to proceed with caution following a recent statement by the Houthi movement indicating an expansion of its target list to include all vessels operated by companies that call at Israeli ports, including Haifa.
The announcement, issued last week, marks a shift from earlier signals that suggested the group was moving towards de-escalation. In May, the Houthis had stated they would suspend their campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and instead impose a naval blockade focused on movements to and from the port of Haifa.
In the weeks that followed, some carriers, including Hapag-Lloyd, resumed limited operations. At the end of June, Hapag-Lloyd said it had reassessed the security situation and found that regional tensions had diminished sufficiently to justify the resumption of services to Haifa.
Other carriers, including CMA CGM, had continued transiting the Red Sea during this period. CMA CGM operated its BEX2/Phoenician Express service through the Suez Canal with French naval escorts and later reinstated its Med Express (MEDEX) and Mediterranean Club Express (MEX) services.
The Houthis’ latest warning may prompt further adjustments to routing and security protocols by affected shipping lines. The group has stated that any vessel operated by companies maintaining commercial relations with Israeli ports could be subject to attack, regardless of the vessel’s flag or immediate destination.
The evolving security landscape in the region continues to influence carrier decisions, with varying approaches to route planning, naval support, and port calls in response to ongoing developments.
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