The Red Sea Is Increasingly Dangerous Under Houthi Threats After Israeli Attacks

UNSPLASH/Eric Weber ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The latest developments in the Red Sea and the surrounding waters show the threat to international shipping from Yemen's Houthis is increasing.

This was conveyed by the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, July 23.

In a brief explanation of the situation in Yemen, Grundberg warned of the real danger of a devastating regional escalation following a new Houthi attack on Israel's first commercial shipping and airstrikes in Yemen in retaliation for the Houthi drone and missile attacks on Israel.

"I remain very concerned about the continued targeting of international navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters," Grundberg said.

"The latest developments show that threats to international shipping are increasing in scope and accuracy," he added.

The Houthis' attacks on Israel and Israel's retaliatory attacks on July 20 at the port of Hodeidah in Yemen as well as its oil and electric facilities represent a new and dangerous level of violence, he said.

Commercial ships sank and were damaged, disrupting trade, killed civilians.

The Houthis still hold the crew of the Galaxy Leader, the cargo ship they hijacked in November, and the United States and Britain continue to carry out airstrikes against military targets in the Houthi-controlled territory. Yemen, he said.

"It's very worrying that there are no signs of deescalation, let alone solutions," Grundberg continued.

The Houthis have launched missiles and drones on Israel and disrupted global trade through the Red Sea in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Israel says Iran-backed Houthi groups have launched 200 attacks on Israel since the war began, many of which can be intercepted and largely non-lethal.

But a rare Houthi drone strike last Friday hit Tel Aviv, killing one person and prompting Israel to announce its first attack on the group on Saturday. An airstrike broke out near Hodeidah and killed six people, local medics said.