In the latest act of aggression, Yemen’s Houthi rebels asserted responsibility for an attack on a merchant vessel in the Red Sea on Wednesday, causing a ripple effect as the ship’s operator significantly increased prices for routes between Asia and Europe.
The militia, backed by Iran, has launched over 20 assaults on merchant ships in recent weeks, citing their belief that the targeted Malta-flagged freighter was en route to occupied Palestinian territory. Fortunately, the vessel escaped unscathed from the attack.
Amidst their control of impoverished Yemen and ongoing civil war since 2014, the Houthis claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians due to Israel’s conflict with Hamas. In a statement released on X, formerly Twitter, the Houthi forces of the Yemeni armed forces declared, “The naval forces of the Yemeni armed forces carried out an operation targeting the ship CMA CGM TAGE, which was traveling toward the ports of occupied Palestine.”
The series of Houthi attacks, concentrated around the Bab al-Mandeb southern chokepoint in the Red Sea, has significantly disrupted shipping in a crucial waterway responsible for approximately 12 percent of global trade.
Following the most recent assault, French operator CMA CGM responded by announcing a substantial price hike. The cost of a 40-foot container between Asia and the western Mediterranean doubled from $3,000 to $6,000.
