The United Nations Security Council, in a resolution today (Wednesday), called for an ‘immediate’ halt to the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, demanding that all countries respect the arms embargo imposed ‘on these Iran-backed rebels.’
The resolution, drafted by the United States and Japan and adopted by the Council with 11 members in favor and four abstentions (Russia, China, Algeria, and Mozambique), ‘strongly condemns the attacks, no fewer than 24, targeting commercial ships since November 19, 2023,’ the date when the Houthis seized the ‘Galaxy Leader’ ship and held its 25 crew members hostage.
The resolution demands that ‘the Houthis immediately cease’ attacks ‘that hinder international trade and undermine the rights and freedoms of navigation, as well as peace and security in the region.’
The Council, in its resolution, emphasized respect for international law, noting that it ‘takes note’ of the member states’ right to defend ships against attacks.
The Houthis target commercial ships suspected of being linked to Israel or headed to Israeli ports, near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, and say they launch these attacks in solidarity with the Gaza Strip.
These attacks threaten navigation in the waterway through which about 12 percent of global trade is transported.
This situation led the United States in December to form an international maritime coalition under its leadership, conducting patrols in the Red Sea to protect maritime navigation from Houthi attacks.
During the Security Council session, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, condemned this coalition.
The Russian ambassador said, ‘We cannot help but feel concerned about the current situation in the Red Sea (…) but we are concerned that the United States and its allies, as often happens, prefer to choose a unilateral solution by force.’
The Security Council resolution refers to ‘widespread’ violations of the arms embargo imposed on the Houthis and reminds all member states of the need to ‘respect’ their ‘commitments’ in this regard and condemns the provision of weapons to the Iran-backed Houthis.
The latest report, issued in November by Security Council experts monitoring the arms embargo, confirmed that ‘the Houthis significantly enhance their military capabilities on land and sea, including submarines, as well as their arsenal of missiles and drones, in violation of the imposed embargo.’
The resolution finally calls for ‘addressing the roots of the situation, including the conflicts that contribute to regional tensions.’
Russia, which proposed three amendments to the draft resolution, all of which were rejected, specifically wanted to add that among the factors contributing to tensions is ‘the conflict in the Gaza Strip.’
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield commented that linking Houthi attacks to the situation in Gaza ‘would encourage the Houthis and create a dangerous precedent in the Council by legitimizing these violations of international law.’
The U.S. ambassador also attacked Iran’s ‘financial and material’ support for the Houthis, saying, ‘We cannot ignore the source of the problem… We know that Iran is deeply involved in planning operations against commercial ships in the Red Sea,’ calling on Tehran to ‘choose.’
The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, had said earlier yesterday: ‘We continue to be deeply concerned about the situation in the Red Sea, not just because of the situation itself and the risks it poses to global trade, the environment, and people, but also because of the risks of escalating the conflict on a broader scale in the Middle East.’
