A coalition of 13 nations led by the United States has issued what appears to be a “final warning” to the Iranian-backed Houthis rebels in Yemen, urging them to stop their attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
In a joint statement issued Wednesday, the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom cited the “broad consensus as expressed by 44 countries around the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the statement by the UN Security Council on December 1, 2023,” condemning Houthi attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea.
In light of the Iranian proxy’s ongoing attacks in the waterway, “including a significant escalation over the past week targeting commercial vessels, with missiles, small boats, and attempted hijackings,” the coalition warned the Houthis against “further attacks.”
Here’s the text.
“Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. There is no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels.
“Attacks on vessels, including commercial vessels, using unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats, and missiles, including the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles against such vessels, are a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.
These attacks threaten innocent lives from all over the world and constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action.
“Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade.
“International shipping companies continue to reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods, and ultimately jeopardizing the movement of critical food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.
“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways. We remain committed to the international rules-based order and are determined to hold malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.”
Also on Wednesday, Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Shalit urged the United Nations Security Council to deal with the “radioactive Shiite elephant in the room” at an emergency session on the increasing Houthi attacks on commercial vessels transiting the waterway.
“The ayatollah regime is the one thing that ties together all the elements of destruction in the Middle East,” Erdan told the Council. “It funds, arms, trains and directs the Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, other terror groups in Syria and Iraq, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad,” he said. “Iran has spent decades spreading cancerous jihadism across the region.”
The Houthis (formally known as Ansar Allah) began firing combat drones and ballistic missiles at commercial shipping vessels in solidarity with Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization following its invasion of Israel on October 7th. At that time, the Houthis vowed to attack any vessel traveling to or from Israel and made good on their word. Within a few weeks, they also expanded the attacks to include any commercial vessel transiting the waterways near the coast of Yemen. To date the Houthis have carried out around 25 attacks, which in some cases including hijacking the vessels.
A multination maritime task force (“Operation Prosperity Guardian) formed last month to to deter and counter the attacks has proved largely ineffective at stopping the attacks.
