EMEA News
Red Sea Comeback Uncertain Despite US Assurance
Tensions in the Red Sea remain high despite US President Donald Trump's stating that an agreement has been reached with Yemen's Houthi movement to halt attacks on commercial shipping.
The Houthis have continued to assert responsibility for attacks in the region.
On Wednesday, the group claimed it had launched a ballistic missile and several drones at warships in the northern Red Sea, including the US aircraft carrier Harry S Truman.
Houthi also claimed responsibility for the downing of a US F/A-18 fighter jet, which media outlet CNN reported on Tuesday was lost during a landing attempt on the Truman in the Red Sea.
"The drowning of an American F-18 was due to the state of confusion and panic the enemy reached during the targeting operation," a Houthi spokesperson said in a social media post.
The group warned it would continue to target US warships if American forces persist in launching attacks on Yemen.
The persistent hostilities cast further doubt over the likelihood of a near-term resumption of commercial shipping through the Red Sea, a key global trade route disrupted for several months by the conflict.
"Given the current situation, there is not a high probability that large merchant vessels will be in a rush to go back through the Red Sea," Lars Jensen, CEO of container consultancy Vespucci Maritime, said in a LinkedIn post.
Jensen added that even if a ceasefire agreement to protect merchant ships is in place, the Houthis may continue targeting Israel.
"The Houthis are clearly prone to exaggeration and hyperbole, but it should be noted that this is a [Houthi] statement released after the U.S. announcement of a ceasefire on Tuesday," he said.
"Of course, this might also be a matter of poor internal communication — releasing such information with a substantial delay compared to the ceasefire announcement," Jensen noted.
