DUBAI, December 19. /TASS/. Houthis from Yemen's rebel Ansar Allah movement intend to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea every 12 hours, the movement's spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said.

"As for naval operations, they are in full swing, and perhaps not 12 hours would pass without an operation," an Ansar Allah spokesman told the Al Jazeera TV channel.

Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Yemeni Houthis said they would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships associated with Israel from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave was halted. Since mid-November, several commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea have been attacked from Ansar Allah-controlled territory. Moreover, the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader cargo ship with more than 20 crew members on board.

The US authorities responded to the actions of the Houthis by announcing the formation of an international coalition and preparing an operation to ensure freedom of navigation and protection of ships in the Red Sea. Included in the operation will be Bahrain, the UK, Spain, Italy, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles and Spain. In turn, Abdul Salam told TASS that the establishment of the coalition would not affect the decision of the Houthis to attack commercial ships associated with Israel.