On November 14, the Houthis in Yemen threatened to target Israeli vessels in the Red Sea. Subsequently, they followed through on this threat by commandeering the cargo ship "Galaxy Leader," co-owned by an Israeli businessman, and taking it to the Yemeni coast. This action was in support of the Islamist movement Hamas in its war against Israel.
Subsequently, on December 9, the Houthis announced their intent to impede the transit of vessels destined for Israel, irrespective of the ownership or registration. They particularly cautioned “all ships and companies against engaging with Israeli ports.” This position was reiterated by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on December 19, wherein he issued a warning that his faction would confront US forces if any attempts were made to forcibly hinder their pursuit of their objectives.
The intensification of Houthi actions against Israel and their threats to the US unmistakably corresponds with Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's pronouncements on October 11. At the commencement of the Israeli war on Gaza, he declared the intention of his faction to target Israel using missiles and drones. Additionally, he outlined a gradual escalation in the confrontation with Israel, a consensus reached within the so-called "Axis of Resistance."
This escalation is contingent on various red lines, encompassing developments on the war on Gaza and direct US involvement in the war. This indicates that the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea is poised to persist until the cessation of hostilities.
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The Houthi insurgents have indeed executed their warning, targeting twelve ships en route to Israel, and compelling them to alter their course. As per data from the Bloomberg website, over 180 cargo vessels have either diverted their route to the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Red Sea or have identified a nearby port for anchorage until the situation in the Red Sea stabilises.
Moreover, numerous shipping enterprises, including industry giants such as British Petroleum, Cypriot Frontline, Danish Maersk, German Hapag-Lloyd, French CMA CGM, Italian-Swiss MSC, and Taiwanese Evergreen, have suspended their maritime journeys through the Red Sea.
Additionally, the expense associated with transporting containers from Asia to Northern Europe surged by more than 40 per cent after the Houthi attacks. The bills for fuel shipments also witnessed an increase, attributable to major oil and shipping companies opting to avoid navigating through the Red Sea. Overall, there was an 85 percent reduction in ship movements at the Israeli port of Eilat following the Houthi attacks, as reported by Reuters.
A maritime dilemma to the US
In 1967, Israel used the closure of the Tiran Straits in the Red Sea by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser to justify its military intervention against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, asserting the right to freedom of navigation. In the current scenario, Israel appears constrained in its ability to unilaterally alter the emerging circumstances. Expressing its stance, Israel has issued a military threat through its National Security Council head, Tzachi Hanegbi. He conveyed that "Netanyahu has apprised US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of his country's resolve to undertake military measures against the Houthis unless remedial action is taken against them."
Nevertheless, even though Israel possesses the capacity to conduct airstrikes on the Houthis or initiate long-range missile assaults, such actions are unlikely to provide a conclusive resolution to its predicament in the Red Sea. The Houthis are anticipated to persist in targeting Israeli-linked vessels and those bound for Israel. Consequently, Israel perceives the remedy to its crisis not in a direct confrontation with the Houthis but rather in the United States assuming a role on its behalf, despite the potential for Israel to directly launch military airstrikes against the Houthis.
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