Yemen’s Houthis Narrow Attacks in Red Sea – What It Means for Global Trade
After a recent ceasefire in Gaza, a new announcement came from Houthi rebels from Yemen. They stated that they will now target only Israeli-affiliated ships in the Red Sea corridor. The announcement comes at a time when global shipping companies are not satisfied to use the trade route linking Asia and Europe.
The Houthis shared this decision via an email, “stopping sanctions” on other vessels they had attacked since November 2023. However, attacks on Israeli ships will cease if all terms of the Gaza ceasefire are fully met.
The rebels also hinted at the possibility of resuming attacks on US and UK ships and warned they would take action against any “aggressor state”.
Recent Attacks, Impacts, and U.S. Response
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted more than 100 ships. These attacks affected trade badly. Houthis claim their actions are a response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Because of this over 46,000 Palestinians lost their life and many other casualties occurred.
U.S.-led coalitions have launched over 260 strikes on Houthi targets in the Red Sea, slowing their attacks in recent weeks. However, the rebels continue to send missiles and drones toward Israel.
Now when Donald Trump is all set to take charge of the presidency, by the time we will see a clear picture of how his administration will approach Yemen. Till then the condition of Trade and shipment via Red Sea is not safe!