Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad Al-Alimi has warned that maritime routes will continue to be a source of regional tension as long as Houthi forces maintain control over Yemen’s coastal territories.

Al-Alimi made the statement during a meeting with French Ambassador to Yemen Catherine Corm-Kammoun in Aden, the country’s temporary capital. They discussed recent developments, particularly the ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping lanes, according to the state-run Saba News Agency, cited by Xinhua news agency.

Al-Alimi called on the international community to adopt “punitive measures against the Houthi militias,” stressing that “the only way to end terrorist threats is through supporting the Yemeni government, a United Nations member, in restoring state institutions and asserting authority over all its territories.”

He also highlighted Yemen’s strategic role in securing maritime traffic and maintaining international peace and security.

The Houthis currently control most of the northern areas, including Sanaa and the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah. The internationally recognised Yemeni government, led by the Presidential Leadership Council since April 2022, controls the southern and eastern regions, with Aden serving as the temporary capital.

On Saturday evening, the US military launched a new wave of airstrikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, killing 53 people, including five children and two women.

US President Donald Trump vowed to continue air attacks until the Houthis stop targeting international shipping lines and vessels. He warned the Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today… hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

Following the US attacks, Houthi forces claimed on Monday that they had targeted the USS Harry Truman in the northern Red Sea for the second time in 24 hours. They said the assault involved multiple ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones, lasting several hours.

The US Navy has not yet issued a statement confirming or denying the alleged attack on the aircraft carrier.

The renewed conflict comes after Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, marking the end of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement.

On March 11, the Houthis announced they would resume attacking Israeli ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until crossings into Gaza are reopened and aid is allowed in.

Between November 2023 and January 19, the Houthis launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The attacks later expanded to include US and British ships after the US-British naval coalition began air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter further aggression.