As the shipping security situation in the Red Sea continues to deteriorate, Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked two commercial ships again on Monday. On the afternoon of Monday (December 18) local time, Houthi armed spokesman Yahya Saraya issued a statement on the social media platform One is an oil tanker named "Atlantic Swan" and the other is a container ship named "MSC Clara".
The Houthis said the attacks were carried out after the crews of the two ships refused to obey the group's orders.
The Houthis have warned that they will continue to attack any Israeli-related ships in the Red Sea until Israel allows the delivery of food, medicine and other supplies to the Gaza Strip. The group said it would not target ships not linked to Israel.
It is reported that the "Atlantic Swan" belongs to a Norwegian company. No one of its crew members was injured and it received assistance from the U.S. Navy. The MSC Clara is a Panamanian-flagged ship. The details of the attack on the ship are still unclear.
Earlier this month, the Houthis said they would target all ships sailing to Israel, regardless of nationality, and warned international shipping companies not to deal with Israeli ports. Since then, many ships have been attacked by Houthi forces while sailing in the Red Sea and nearby waters.
Due to continued tensions in the Red Sea, many shipping giants including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have announced the suspension of sailings in the Red Sea.
The Red Sea connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea, and the Suez Canal-the Red Sea is one of the busiest waterways in the world. Currently, more than 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal every year, accounting for 14% of global seaborne trade.
Shipping companies' inability to pass the Red Sea means they have to take a detour via the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. As a result, not only will transportation time increase, but fuel costs and insurance premiums will also increase significantly.
Some media reported that the United States intends to form a naval task force with other countries to patrol the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. The proposed code name for this escort operation is "Prosperity Guardian." It is reported that U.S. allies in the Middle East such as Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Bahrain and other countries may join.