The Houthis have banned British, American and Israeli vessels from transiting the Red Sea.

The incidents call into question the success of UK and US strikes

Yemen’s Houthis say ships wholly owned by Israel, the United States and Britain are now banned from transiting the Red Sea. They also emphasized that ships flying the Israeli flag are prohibited from entering the waters, as well as the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

Reuters news agency reported that statements sent to shipping insurers and firms from the Houthi Humanitarian Coordination Center said ships owned or flying their flags by Israeli, American or British individuals or entities were prohibited from entering the Red Sea basin.

Risks to shipping have increased due to repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait by the Houthis since November 2023. US and UK forces have responded with several strikes against Houthi targets but have so far been unable to stop the attacks.

Also, according to the news agency, the Houthis are using “underwater weapons” to intensify attacks on the Red Sea.

“Operations in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden are ongoing, expanding and effective,” Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised speech.

The leader’s speech came on February 22, as the Houthis issued formal notice to shippers and insurers of a shipping ban for the US, UK and Israel.

“A humanitarian operations center has been established in Sanaa to coordinate the safe and peaceful passage of ships and vessels that have no connection with Israel,” a senior Houthi official told Reuters.

Let us remember that the US is not as dependent on Red Sea logistics, unlike the UK and Europe, where attacks have already led to a sharp increase in shipping costs.

Earlier, two missiles caused a fire on the ship about 70 nautical miles southeast of Aden, the UK Maritime Trade Office (UKMTO) said. According to the agency, the ship and crew are safe and are proceeding to their next port of call. The British-owned, Palau-flagged Islander was bound for Egypt from Thailand, according to maritime security firm Ambrey and its analytics arm, as well as ship tracking data.

No ships were sunk or crew were killed, but there are concerns about the fate of the cargo ship Rubymar, which sank on February 18 and its crew evacuated.

The Houthis said the Rubymar was at risk of sinking, but a US defense official said the ship remained afloat.

“Rubymar is still floating, even though it has taken on water,” admitted Harry Pearce of Ambrey Analytics, part of the maritime risk company Ambrey.