Houthis: We Will Limit Attacks on Ships in the Red Sea

The Houthis of Yemen have announced that they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea passage to ships "associated with Israel" from now on. This decision was made coinciding with the start of the second day of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Monday, January 21. The announcement, which was sent via email to shipping companies and others on Sunday, is likely insufficient to encourage international companies to return to this route. This route is vital for the transportation of goods and energy between Asia and Europe. Houthi attacks have halved maritime traffic in the region and severely reduced Egypt's revenues, which manages the Suez Canal. Jigob P. Larsen, head of maritime security at the International Maritime Organization BIMCO, told the Associated Press, "This ceasefire is considered fragile. Even minor deviations from the ceasefire agreements can lead to conflict, after which the Houthis will resume their threats against a wide range of international shipping." The Houthis also plan to publish a military statement on Monday, likely regarding this decision. Through a center they operate called the "Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center," they announced that "sanctions" against other ships targeted since November 2023 will be halted. However, according to the Houthis, "sanctions against Israeli ships" will only end when all stages of the ceasefire are fully implemented. This center has also left open the possibility of resuming attacks against the United States and Britain, countries that have conducted airstrikes against the group due to Houthi maritime attacks. The Houthi center stated, "In the event of any aggression... sanctions against the aggressor country will be reimposed. You will be immediately informed if such measures are implemented." Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the extremist group Hamas in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted over 100 commercial ships with missiles and drones. This war began after a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which left 1,200 dead and took 250 others hostage. Hamas is one of the groups listed as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and the EU. According to local officials in Gaza, Israeli military operations have killed over 46,000 Palestinians. The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have seized one ship and sunk two others, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by separate coalitions led by the United States and Europe in the Red Sea or have failed to reach their targets. The Houthis claim to target ships associated with Israel, the United States, or Britain to end Israeli attacks in Gaza. However, many of the targeted ships had little or no connection to this conflict, including some that were en route to Iran. Houthi attacks have decreased in recent weeks, especially against ships at sea. This decrease may be partly due to the U.S. airstrike campaign. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the U.S. and its allies have conducted over 260 attacks against the Houthis. However, the Houthis continue to launch drones and missiles towards Israel, and Israel has warned that it will continue attacks against Houthi leadership. Another determining factor is Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as President on Monday. He may once again designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization; a decision that Joe Biden had revoked and could reignite attacks. Larsen stated, "Uncertainty has increased with Trump's inauguration today. It is still unclear how the Trump administration will act regarding the conflict with the Houthis and whether potential punitive actions against them will be considered."