Houthis Promise Maritime Security in the Red Sea to Russia and China

A senior official of the Iran-backed Houthis promised that the group would guarantee a safe passage for Russian and Chinese ships through the Red Sea. In an interview with the Russian publication 'Izvestia' published on Friday, January 19, Muhammad al-Bukhaiti emphasized that the waters around Yemen, which some shipping companies avoid due to continuous Houthi attacks, are safe as long as the ships do not belong to certain countries. His reference was to Israel, which the Houthis have stated they have attacked in support of the Hamas militant group in Gaza. The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on an American ship early Friday. Earlier, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces had destroyed anti-ship missiles from the 'Houthi terrorists.' CENTCOM stated that its forces conducted strikes on two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were targeted at the southern Red Sea and were ready for launch. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday, January 17, that the 'Ansar Allah' group, also known as the Houthis, would be designated as an international terrorist organization within 30 days. He said this decision was in response to Houthi attacks on commercial ships in international routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as on military forces stationed in the region to defend maritime safety and security. The U.S. recently announced the discovery and seizure of Iranian-made weapons intended for the Houthis from a vessel. CENTCOM's renewed attack on Houthi missiles; the U.S. claims the attacks are defensive in nature. India reported that it rescued 22 crew members of an American ship after Houthi attacks. CENTCOM stated that it destroyed fourteen Houthi missiles ready for launch.