(Dan Tri) – Houthi said they attacked boats in the Red Sea to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, but this force also has other calculations.
The cargo ship Galaxy Leader is escorted by Houthi ships in the Red Sea in a photo released by this movement on November 20 (Photo: Houthi Military Media).
On November 19, the Houthis launched one of the boldest actions to date by this force.
Since then, the force has attacked more than 100 ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a narrow passage into the Red Sea and beyond to the Suez Canal, according to data from the Pentagon.
Although there have been no casualties, these attacks have had a major impact on global trade.
About 12% of the world’s seaborne oil and 8% of its liquefied natural gas pass through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, mainly towards Europe.
The US has formed a coalition of 20 countries to jointly patrol the Red Sea to prevent Houthi attacks.
Houthi forces controlling much of northern Yemen have attacked more than 100 ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait since October 7 (Graphic: CNN).
Real goal
After the Yemeni civil war broke out in 2014, the Houthis – Iran-backed forces – fought against the government army.
Over the past year, fighting in Yemen has subsided after a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations took effect from April 2022.
In the months leading up to October 7, the Houthis were facing domestic pressure over a number of issues such as passing unpopular reforms and not paying civil servants.
But after the outbreak of the Gaza war, the act of condemning Israel helped the Houthis receive widespread approval from the Yemeni people.
`They recruited a bunch of fighters with the promise that they would fight in Palestine,` Nicholas Brumfield – a researcher on Yemen – told Al Jazeera.
Houthi gunmen chant slogans showing support for this movement in Sanaa, Yemen in 2019 (Photo: AP).
The Yemeni government condemns Houthi attacks on the Red Sea, saying it deprives it of its sovereignty.
According to some analysts, the Red Sea attacks could also be a diplomatic strategy, as the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have been negotiating to reach a lasting ceasefire in recent months.
Tensions in the Red Sea and disruptions in oil shipping routes will hurt most economies in the region, of which Saudi Arabia is the largest.
`From the Houthi position, attacking shipping ships is an opportunity for them to put pressure on Saudi Arabia,` said Sanam Vakil – Deputy Director of Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program –
Houthis know America’s red lines
The appearance of a coalition of 20 countries led by the US does not seem to be able to stop the Houthis, according to Al Jazeera.
Another Houthi spokesman told Reuters they would continue to target Israeli ships or those heading towards Israel until the `siege` in Gaza ends.
The US Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer moves at sea (Illustration: US Navy).
However, despite the rhetoric, both the Houthis and the US have so far shown restraint.
On November 26, Houthi forces fired two ballistic missiles near a US warship.
`The US also does not want to escalate this crisis,` Eurasia Group analyst Gregory Brew said.
Any change in that balance is not in the interests of the Houthis.
`They know not to cross that line,` Mr. Brumfield said.