Houthis become a growing threat in the Red Sea

As a vital link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, the Red Sea is a vital trade route for global shipping and energy supplies. About 40% of international trade passes through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, or “Gate of Tears,” a narrow waterway that separates the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.

“This is a very dangerous time for stability in this strategic region,” said Camille Lons, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). “The Houthis have the potential to cause significant damage,” added Fabian Hinz, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a UK-based think tank.

Since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted and escalated following an October 17 explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed and injured scores of people, Houthi leaders have said Israel is their target. A Houthi military spokesman said the group wants to block Israeli ships from moving through the Red Sea until Israel’s aggression against “our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip” stops.

The Houthis have described their recent attacks as a campaign of solidarity with the 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza living under siege and bombardment by Israel. Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, said the campaign has transformed the Houthis from a local and regional force to one with global impact.

“Ultimately, what they really want is greater stakes in Yemen, and they can do that by making it a global issue,” Mr. Guzansky said.

A Houthi spokesman said the group attacked two Israeli ships, the Unity Explorer and the Number Nine, on December 3 with drones and missiles. No one was injured in the attacks, but commercial vessels were damaged.

In November, the group hijacked an Israeli-linked merchant ship, the Galaxy Leader, and took its crew hostage. The incident occurred while the ship was en route from Türkiye to India. The Galaxy Leader flies the flag of the Bahamas. Its 25 crew members are of various nationalities, including Bulgarians, Filipinos, Mexicans and Ukrainians, but there are no Israeli citizens on board. The Galaxy Leader’s owners are linked to Ray Car Carriers, founded by Abraham “Rami” Ungar, one of Israel’s richest men.

In a new development related to actions against Israel, on December 12, the Houthi forces confirmed that they had launched a missile attack the day before on the Norwegian-flagged commercial oil tanker Strinda. The attack occurred as the Strinda was passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and the Northeast African region, leading to the Red Sea. Fortunately, no one was injured in the attack.

While warships moving through the Red Sea are well-armed and capable of retaliating, commercial vessels are not. “The US Navy cannot escort every civilian vessel in the Red Sea,” Hinz said.

At a press conference on December 12, Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy called the Houthi attacks “a clear threat not only to Israel but also to international peace and security.”

Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi has called on the international community to restrain the Houthis. “If the world does not pay attention, we will act,” Hanegbi warned.

Analysts say tensions could spiral out of control quickly. “The Houthis are completely unpredictable and dangerous,” Franck Mermier, an expert at the French National Center for Scientific Research, told AFP. “And the processes that lead to outbreaks of war are always unpredictable. So far, the Houthis have attacked without major retaliation, but it could spiral out of control.”