SANAA: Yemen鈥檚 Houthis said Monday that they would target Haifa port in Israel as part of a 鈥渘aval blockade鈥� in response to Israeli escalation in the Gaza war.
The Houthis would 鈥渂egin working to enforce a naval blockade of the port of Haifa,鈥� said military spokesman Yehya Saree.
鈥淎ll companies with ships present in or heading to this port are hereby notified that, as of the time of this announcement, the aforementioned port has been included in the target bank,鈥� the Houthi spokesman added.
The move was 鈥渋n response to the Israeli enemy鈥檚 escalation of its brutal aggression against our people and in Gaza,鈥� he said, adding their attacks on Israel would 鈥渃ease once the aggression on Gaza ends and the blockade is lifted.鈥�
Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will 鈥渢ake control鈥� of the whole of Gaza, as rescuers reported dozens killed in a newly intensified offensive.