DUBAI, March 25. /TASS/. The Houthis have conducted a total of 38 military operations in the Red and Arabian seas, as well as in the Indian Ocean since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict escalated, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a high-ranking representative of the Yemen-based rebel Houthi movement Ansar Allah said.

"The [Houthi] navy and coastal guards have carried out 38 operations that were very important in deterring the enemy," the Al Mayadeen TV channel quoted his statement. According to al-Houthi, the Houthi air defense systems have repelled 4,585 attacks, as a result of which "165 warplanes and reconnaissance drones were shot down."

Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis said they will deliver strikes on Israeli territory and will not allow pro-Israel ships to sail through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave is stopped.

According to the latest figures, the Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since mid-November of 2023.