London - The Houthi militant group in Yemen has announced a suspension of maritime operations against Israel and formally ended its naval blockade of Israeli ports, marking a significant shift in Red Sea shipping security.

The announcement came through a formal letter sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al Qassam, by newly appointed Houthi Chief of Staff Yousef Hassan Al Madani, who assumed the role following the death of his predecessor, Mohammed Al Ghamari, in Israeli airstrikes. The move indicates that attacks against vessels previously targeted for calling at Israeli ports have now ceased.