Houthis ready to attack ships in southern Red Sea, naval group says
A maritime security group led by the US Navy has warned that Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen are finalizing preparations to attack ships passing through the southern access point of the Red Sea.
“Sources close to the group stated that the Houthis have completed preparations to attack the ships, including the deployment of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles deployed near Bab al-Mandeb.” Joint Maritime Information Centeror JMIC, issued a notice to seafarers on Tuesday. Headquartered in Bahrain, the center provides security updates to commercial ships in the Middle East.
European Union naval mission in the Middle East warned On Wednesday, it said “commercial ships linked to Israeli, US or Saudi interests” should “avoid transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the threat level is reduced.”
The Houthis had repeatedly threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait during the US-Iran war. The Bosphorus connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and global markets.
Militants declared a naval embargo on Saudi Arabia on Monday, threatening to cut off the kingdom’s oil exports via the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. These exports served as a major relief valve for global oil markets due to Iran’s attack on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis said “all ships loading or unloading cargo from Saudi ports are prohibited,” according to the EU maritime mission’s announcement on Wednesday.
Riyadh diverted millions of barrels of oil a day through a pipeline to the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea. According to Kpler data, exports from this terminal via Bab el-Mandeb increased to 3.5 million barrels per day in June, compared to only 240,000 barrels in the same period last year.
JMIC said on Tuesday that commercial traffic through the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb had continued without any attacks in the past two days. It was stated that the threat to ships in the region was “medium level”.
“No changes to commercial routes or transit patterns occurred and vessels continued to use designated lanes without interruption,” JMIC said.
ship tracking company KplerHowever, there was a 34% decrease in traffic at Bab al-Mandab on Tuesday compared to Monday, when the Houthis announced an embargo on the Saudis.
Four tankers carrying Saudi cargo turned back before reaching Bab al-Mandab on Tuesday, according to the maritime intelligence firm Windward. The company said the ships were carrying 3.8 million barrels of crude oil, diesel and naphtha.
Meanwhile, Iran has stepped up its attacks on tankers in Hormuz as it tries to force ships to pass through the strait through its territorial waters. Three crude oil, product and chemical tankers were attacked off the coast of Oman and the United Arab Emirates this week.
According to the report, a dozen ships have been attacked in and around Hormuz since July 6; As a result, two sailors died and more than a dozen were injured. International Maritime Organizationa United Nations agency.
