UN Special Envoy for Yemen: Threats to Shipping in the Red Sea by Houthis are Increasing

The United Nations representative warned of increasing threats against the international shipping industry in the Red Sea and its surrounding areas by Yemen's Houthis. Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, on Tuesday, July 24, at the UN Security Council, referred to recent developments and warned of a "real danger of escalating destructive tensions" in the region. Grundberg expressed concern about the targeting of international navigation in the Red Sea and its surrounding waterways, stating, "Recent developments show that the threat to international shipping is increasing in terms of scope and precision." He added that the Houthi attacks on Israel and Israel's retaliatory strikes on the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah and their oil and electricity facilities on July 20 indicate a "new and dangerous level" of violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Hodeidah port had been used to import weapons made by the Islamic Republic of Iran following Israeli airstrikes on Houthi positions in the port. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen noted that commercial ships have been sunk and damaged, trade has been disrupted, civilians have been killed, and the Houthis still hold the crew of a cargo ship they hijacked last November, while the United States and Britain continue airstrikes on military targets in Houthi-controlled areas. Grundberg stated that the lack of "any signs of de-escalation" is concerning. The Iran-backed Houthis have launched missiles and drones towards Israel in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, disrupting global trade through the Red Sea. Israel claims that this group has conducted 200 attacks against the country since the onset of the war in Gaza, many of which have been intercepted and most of which have not been fatal. However, a rare drone attack by the Houthis on Tel Aviv last Friday resulted in one death and prompted Israel to carry out its first attacks against the group, which local doctors reported resulted in six deaths. Israel announced that it had intercepted a missile launched by the Houthis. In response to the Houthi drone attack, Israel called for "crippling sanctions" against the Islamic Republic. A drone attack on a residential building near the US consulate in Tel Aviv resulted in one death and several injuries. The expansion of Houthi attacks on ships has heightened tensions between the US military and the Houthis. The Houthis claimed to have used a "new ballistic missile" in a Monday attack on a cargo ship. The Houthis attacked a Greek ship, with CENTCOM stating that damage to the ship and injuries to the crew were minor. The US military and coalition forces have engaged with Houthi militants, destroying nine drones. The United States has sanctioned several Houthi arms supply networks. The crew of the Greek ship that was attacked by the Houthis was evacuated, with one person missing. The crew of the "Verbena" ship was rescued; CENTCOM stated that the frigate "Jamaran" did not respond to their distress call. Leaders of nine international organizations have called for the release of 17 of their staff members held by the Houthis.