The Houthis announced this week that they would attack any Israeli ship that sails in the vicinity of Yemen, including the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. As of Wednesday, the Houthis have not attempted any attacks,

The Yemeni militant group's deadline for Israel to lift a blockade of aid to the Gaza Strip passed late Tuesday, triggering the statement.

The Iran-backed Houthi militant group, Ansar Allah, said a countdown to block "Zionist" shipping had begun, increasing the potential risks of maritime attacks on Israeli and U.S. vessels. Newsweek reached out to the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office for comment.