Western Nations Warn Iran-Backed Houthi Militia in Yemen Against Red Sea Attacks

A group of Western nations has issued a stern warning to Yemen’s Houthi militia, cautioning against further attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Houthis have carried out over 20 attacks on ships in the region since November 2023, declaring support for Hamas in its ongoing conflict with Israel. Employing various means such as missiles, drones, fast boats, and helicopters, the militia has often claimed that the targeted vessels were linked to Israel. In a joint statement, 12 nations including Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, and the US deemed these attacks illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. The group called for an immediate end to the assaults, warning that continued aggression would bear consequences for the Houthis. They also emphasized the threat these attacks pose to freedom of navigation, as the Red Sea is a critical waterway through which nearly 15 percent of global trade passes. The International Chamber of Shipping reports that as a result of the attacks, 20 percent of the world’s container ships are currently circumnavigating southern Africa rather than traversing the Red Sea. Despite this warning, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for a new attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea. The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, stated that the operation targeted the ship CMA CGM TAGE after its crew refused to respond to warning messages. Sarea stressed that the Houthis will continue to block Israeli ships or vessels heading to Israel from the Red Sea and the Arab Sea until food and medicine aid can enter the Gaza Strip. The recent attack occurred shortly after a US Navy forces helicopter patrolling the Red Sea shot and killed ten Houthi militants and sank their three boats as they attempted to approach a merchant ship. The Houthi militia has been engaged in a civil war since 2014, opposing Yemen’s government and controlling significant portions of the country, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic port city of Hodeidah.