UN warns Houthi advance could disrupt Red Sea shipping

United Nations: The United Nations Security Council has been warned that an advance by Yemen’s Houthi rebels towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait could create a second major threat to global trade, at a time when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already been severely disrupted.

Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East Khaled Khiari told an emergency Council meeting on Tuesday that fighting had intensified along Yemen’s western coast. He said the Houthis had continued moving towards the strategic strait and had reportedly captured several islands in the southern Red Sea.

“The situation in and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait has become increasingly volatile in recent days,” Khiari said.

He called for urgent measures to prevent Yemen’s conflict from spreading further and threatening the security of the Red Sea and the vital maritime route linking the region with the Suez Canal.

Nearly 30 per cent of global container traffic and around 12 per cent of world trade pass through the Suez Canal. Any prolonged disruption in the Bab al-Mandab Strait could force ships to avoid the Red Sea, leading to longer routes, higher freight costs and further pressure on global supply chains.

The warning comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supplies normally pass, has fallen sharply. Diplomats cautioned that simultaneous disruptions at both waterways could have a major impact on energy supplies, maritime security and the global economy.

Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN said any escalation at the entrance to the Red Sea, amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, could have “devastating” consequences for international shipping and global prosperity.

Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative Abdulaziz M. Alwasil said the Houthis and their allied militias were attempting to restrict access to the two strategic waterways and hold the global economy hostage. Saudi Arabia has faced attacks by the Houthi movement.

The Houthis are backed by Iran. US representative Jennifer Locetta urged the Security Council to take action against Tehran, accusing it of providing weapons and direction to the rebel group.

Bahrain’s Permanent Representative Jamal Fares Alrowaiei said the Houthis continued to threaten freedom of navigation and vital maritime routes despite repeated condemnation by the Council.

“It is high time for the Security Council to take a more decisive stance,” he said.

Several countries supported the call for stronger action. However, deep divisions among the Council’s permanent members have limited its ability to respond effectively.

Yemen’s Permanent Representative Abdullah Ali Fadhel al-Saadi said his government was trying to prevent the Houthis from advancing along the western coast. Such a move, he warned, would pose a direct threat to international shipping.

He described the Houthi escalation as an international concern because of its impact on maritime trade and called for strict enforcement of the arms embargo against the rebels.

(Inputs from IANS)