The United States, the European Union, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and a group representing 44 countries on Tuesday released a statement condemning Yemenite Houthi rebels’ hostilities in the Red Sea.
One of the signatories to the statement is Yemen, whose Saudi-backed government is recognized internationally.
“The undersigned condemn Houthi interference with navigational rights and freedoms in the waters around the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the Red Sea,” said the statement.
“The numerous attacks originating from Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, including the December 3 attacks against three commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea connected to 14 nations, threaten international commerce and maritime security. The Houthi-led seizure of the Galaxy Leader on November 19 and the detention of its 25-member international crew – who remain unjustly detained – is appalling,” it continued.
“Such behavior also threatens the movement of food, fuel, humanitarian assistance, and other essential commodities to destinations and populations all over the world. The undersigned further encourage all states to refrain from facilitation or encouragement of the Houthis. There is no justification for these attacks, which affect many countries beyond the flags these ships sail under.”
“We again call on the Houthis to release the Galaxy Leader crew and ship immediately and to cease additional attacks on commercial vessels in the region’s vital waterways,” the statement concluded.
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have upped their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas was on October 7.
Last week, the Houthi rebels threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
Two days later, the Houthis launched a land-based cruise missile towards a Norwegian commercial tanker vessel.
A senior Houthi official then warned cargo ships in the Red Sea to avoid traveling toward “occupied Palestinian territories”.
Last Thursday, the Houthis claimed they carried out a military operation against a Maersk container vessel, directly hitting it with a drone, but did not provide evidence for the claim.
A day later, Maersk and German company Hapag-Lloyd announced they would temporarily halt operations in the Red Sea. On Saturday, two more major shipping firms, Mediterranean Shipping Company and CMA CGM, announced they were suspending passage through the Red Sea due to Houthi rebel attacks in the area.
On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin officially announced that the US and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships that have come under attack in the Red Sea by drones and ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain will join the US in the new mission, Austin announced. Some of the countries will conduct joint patrols while others provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.