In a recent development, Mohammed Al-Bukaiti, a senior official of the Houthi organization, has declared that Houthi military operations in the Red Sea will continue unabated, unless there is a cessation of what he labelled “genocide crimes” in Gaza by Israel, and unless humanitarian aid is permitted entry into Gaza. This announcement arrives even in face of the US forming a fresh naval coalition to combat these maritime attacks. Al-Bukaiti made this statement on Tuesday, via Twitter.
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have recently been escalating their attacks on commercial ships sailing in the Red Sea, in a demonstration of solidarity with Gaza and to thwart Israel’s bombardment. Various types of drones and ballistic missiles have been employed to strike at vessels navigating the Bab al-Mandab Strait, or the Gate of Tears, a crucial maritime passage located between Eritrea and Djibouti on one side, and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula on the other side.
The maritime attacks were initiated in November when the Houthi rebels commandeered the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship related to Israel but with multi-national ties. The ship is still under Houthi control in the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. Regardless of the Houthis’ claim that they only target Israeli-linked vessels, numerous other commercial ships have suffered attacks in the strait.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world’s most vital trade routes, especially for the oil industry. Alternate routes would prolong the voyage by an additional 3,500 nautical miles. As a result of these threats, shipping firms have already begun to withdraw their vessels from the region. The spike in attacks prompted BP, the oil behemoth, to halt all shipments of oil and gas in the Red Sea.
Only last week, the Al Jasrah, a German-owned vessel, caught fire in the strait due to projectiles launched from Yemen. Earlier in the week, the Panamanian-flagged vessel MSC Clara and the Swan Atlantic, owned by Norway, were targeted by Houthis. While the Swan Atlantic was damaged, luckily no crew members were injured. The UK Maritime Trade Operations issued multiple reports on Monday and Tuesday about incidents in the region, which involved one vessel being approached by a craft with several armed personnel onboard.
On Monday, the United States announced the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian. This new multi-national naval coalition aims to “jointly address the security challenges” in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, with the ultimate goal of ensuring free navigation for all countries, as well as bolstering regional security and prosperity.