Jonathan Fenton-Harvey
The New Arab, Nov. 2023
“… the Houthis’ newfound ability to target ships in the Red Sea is a striking example of the blowback of Yemen’s war, and how the group’s threat to the US-led regional order has increased.”
Yemen has captured global attention after the country’s Houthi rebels began launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in late October. Marking a notable shift in their capabilities, Houthi gunmen on Sunday executed a sophisticated operation in the Red Sea where they descended from a helicopter and, aided by fast boats, successfully hijacked a cargo ship and directed it to Yemen’s Hodeida port. This ship, named Galaxy Leader, is associated with a British company partly owned by Abraham Ungar, one of Israel’s richest individuals.
As predicted in October, the Houthis, who are Yemen’s most powerful faction, have now expanded their focus to the Red Sea, after demonstrating that their advanced missile and drone technology can reach southern Israeli cities like Eilat. After threatening to strike Israel and American assets in response to the Gaza offensive, the Houthis vowed last week to target Israeli ships in the Red Sea. “Our eyes are open to constant monitoring and searching for any Israeli ship,” leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a speech broadcast by the group’s Al-Masirah TV station.
“Marking a notable shift in their capabilities, Houthi gunmen executed a sophisticated operation in the Red Sea where they descended from a helicopter and, aided by fast boats, successfully hijacked a cargo ship.”
Red Sea security
The Houthis’ latest move has raised concerns about potential disruptions in a vital global trade route, through which around 14 percent of global trade passes, particularly hydrocarbons. The Red Sea is also one of the world’s most heavily guarded trade corridors, with the US, Britain, France, Italy, China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia having a military presence in Djibouti, which is a mere 30km from south Yemen.
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