Commentary
Attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea by the Houthis are a threat to global shipping.
Reacting to the Israel-Hamas war, the Shia Islamist Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, has been attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea. The attacks escalated during the weekend of Dec. 2, when Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles, hitting three commercial vessels, and U.S. warships were forced to shoot down three drones. The United States announced that it would consider any measures to counter the Iran-backed Houthis, and U.S. officials have gone so far as to say that Iran is behind these attacks.
Yemen’s military is preventing Israeli naval vessels from accessing the Red Sea. At the same time, the Houthis are threatening Israel-flagged vessels. However, the ships that have come under attack have had various registrations and flags, including Panama, the Bahamas, and Norway. Their owners are based not only in Israel but also in the United Kingdom, Japan, and other countries.
The Houthis emerged as an opposition movement to the Saada Governorate of Yemen in the 1990s. They accused Yemen’s then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh of corruption and opposed the support he received from Saudi Arabia and the United States. In 2003, the group adopted the slogan of the Lebanese Shia terrorist organization Hezbollah: “God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Cursed be the Jews, Victory to Islam.” In 2004, the group’s leader, Hussein al-Houthi, was killed by the Yemeni army. Since then, his brother, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, has held the reins of leadership.
The Houthi movement is primarily composed of Shia Muslims who have, at times, discriminated against Yemen’s Sunnis. On the other hand, they have also allied with Sunnis when it was convenient to do so. In general, the group is opposed to Israel and the United States and is critical of Arab or Muslim nations that ally with either.
Within Yemen, the Houthis have opposed peace talks that would have divided the country into regions, which would have weakened the group’s geographical control. In 2014, they shifted allegiance to longtime ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh, who held power from 1978 to 2012. The new ruler, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, president from 2012 to 2022, faced Houthi opposition. The Houthis took over the capital city of Sanaa, placing Mr. Hadi under house arrest in 2014. Their unexpected alliance with Saleh against Mr. Hadi escalated the conflict into a civil war. Regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in support of Mr. Hadi, while the United States provided support to the Saudi-led coalition. The Houthi-Saleh alliance began to crumble, leading to Saleh’s assassination by the Houthis in December 2017.
From 2017 onward, the conflict in Yemen continued with both Houthi rebels and forces aligned with President Hadi engaged in persistent fighting. The humanitarian crisis deepened, leaving millions in dire need of food and medical assistance amid a blockade and limited humanitarian access. A lasting resolution has proved impossible despite international diplomatic efforts, including peace talks. Regional powers, notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have maintained their support for the internationally recognized government, with the United States continuing to back the Saudi side.
Russia and China have played roles in the conflict. Russia, while not directly participating in the military intervention, has engaged diplomatically, expressed concerns about the humanitarian situation, and reportedly been involved in arms sales to factions in the conflict. The Kremlin-linked private military company Wagner has faced allegations of involvement in Yemen, aligning with Russian interests. Wagner’s activities, including potential support for factions, are hard to verify due to their covert nature.
China, similarly cautious, has engaged diplomatically, expressed humanitarian concern, and supported political solutions at the United Nations. Apart from increasing its diplomatic profile, Beijing’s primary interest seems to be oil. In May 2023, the Houthis entered into a memorandum of understanding with Beijing and China’s Anton Oilfield Services Group to engage in investments related to oil exploration within the country.
Iran has played a significant role in the conflict by providing political, financial, and military support to the Houthis. This support, including allegations of supplying weapons and training, has intensified the conflict and heightened regional tensions. Viewed as part of Iran’s broader regional strategy to extend influence, their involvement in Yemen serves to challenge Saudi influence in the Middle East. The United States has accused Iran of providing the Houthis with drones and missiles, like the ones they are now using against ships in the Red Sea.
Due to the risk of Houthi attack, shipping firms are avoiding the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important waterway that connects the southern tip of the Red Sea to the northern part of the Gulf of Aden, which ultimately leads to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The connection between the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Suez Canal is essential for maritime trade. Some 12 percent of the world’s trade passes through it, as does 10 percent of global oil supplies. Now, ships will have to take a much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding about 14 days and increasing costs and delays.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has announced the formation of a 10-nation U.S.-led international naval coalition, cooperating with the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. But Tehran has protested the international naval coalition and warned it will face “extraordinary problems.”
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
