WASHINGTON: An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is scheduled to address Red Sea security concerns sparked by a string of assaults on vessels within the strategic waterway by Houthi militants based in Yemen, on Wednesday.
Since October, the Houthis have conducted a series of drone, missile, and boat assaults, specifically aiming at ships they claim are associated with or en route to Israel, asserting their actions as a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.
“The numerous unjustified attacks originating from Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen are a grave threat to international commerce and maritime security,” US Mission to the United Nations spokesperson Nate Evans said in a statement.
The military responses from US and British forces, triggered by the attacks, led the United States to establish a coalition of nations aimed at safeguarding the shipping lanes. This prompted several commercial cargo companies to adjust their operations, redirecting ships away from the Red Sea and the Suez Canal route, opting instead for the longer journey around the southern tip of Africa.
On a recent Tuesday night, US Central Command disclosed a fresh assault by the Houthi faction. The militants launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the southern Red Sea, as confirmed in a statement from CENTCOM. Reports from multiple commercial ships in the vicinity confirmed the missiles landed in the water, with no instances of reported damage.
“These illegal actions endangered the lives of dozens of innocent mariners and continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce,” CENTCOM said. “This is the 24th attack against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea since Nov. 19.”
