EMEA News
Houthis Signal End to Red Sea Vessel Attacks
Yemen's Houthi movement has indicated a halt to attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, warning they could resume operations if Israel restarts its Gaza offensive.
As per an undated letter circulating on social media, Houthi chief of staff Yusuf Hassan al-Madani warned the group could resume strikes and a shipping ban if Gaza is attacked again.
"We are closely monitoring developments and declare that if the enemy resumes its aggression against Gaza, we will return to our military operations deep within the Zionist entity, and we will reinstate the ban on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas," the letter reads.
The move signals a potential pause in the Houthi offensive that has disrupted global trade routes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since late 2023.
This has forced ships to take the longer route around Africa instead of the shorter Suez Canal route, leading to increased global bunker consumption.
Over the weekend, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced that a CMA CGM ship had become the largest container ship to transit the Suez Canal in two years, signalling a gradual return of traffic after Red Sea disruptions.
However, questions remain over how quickly vessels will return, and whether the Houthis can be trusted to maintain the cease in attacks.
