The Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Ships in the Red Sea and Calls for Their Cessation

On Wednesday, members of the United Nations Security Council called on the Houthis of Yemen to stop their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, stating that these attacks are illegal and threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation, and the global food supply chain. According to Reuters, in the first official meeting of the Security Council in the new calendar year, the members also urged the Iran-backed Houthis to release the 'Galaxy Leader' ship and its crew, which the militia group had seized on November 19. Meanwhile, the United Nations maritime agency announced on Wednesday that eighteen shipping companies worldwide have altered their shipping routes around the African continent to avoid Houthi threats against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Arsenio Dominguez, head of the International Maritime Organization, stated, 'This rerouting represents an additional 10 days of maritime travel, which negatively impacts trade and increases transportation costs.' The United States, the United Kingdom, and several other allies issued a statement on Wednesday as a 'final warning' to the Yemeni Houthi rebels, demanding that they either immediately cease attacks on ships in the Red Sea or 'be prepared to face the consequences of their actions.' The statement read: 'The ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and deeply destabilizing. If the Houthis continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and the free flow of trade in vital waterways of the region, they will face the consequences.' According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials stated that the U.S. military has prepared options for attacking the Iran-backed Houthis, and if the U.S., the U.K., and other countries resort to force, potential targets could include anti-ship missile launchers and drones, as well as infrastructure such as coastal radar systems and Houthi ammunition depots. John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House, said, 'President Joe Biden has made it clear that the United States is not seeking conflict with any country or actor in the Middle East, but will not hesitate to defend itself, its interests, its partners, or the free flow of international trade.' According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, the Houthis have attacked commercial ships 24 times since mid-November. Tensions escalated last week when Houthi fighters fired at U.S. helicopters that were responding to a distress call from a Singapore-flagged vessel in the Red Sea using four small boats. While U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire and destroyed three Houthi boats, Abram Paley, the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, reacted by stating that 'the Islamic Republic is involved in the Houthi attacks on ships.' The U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Iran stated on Wednesday evening in a message on X that the Islamic Republic of Iran is behind these attacks. According to Abram Paley, 'The Islamic Republic empowers the Houthis to carry out these attacks by providing information, weapons, and training, which is why we and a broad coalition of allies are taking actions to defend trade in the region's vital waterways.'