On Wednesday, the 17th of January, the US again designated Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a terrorist group after their second attack on a US ship in the Red Sea region this week. Houthi militant attacks on ships since November have hampered trade between Asia and Europe, raising concerns among many countries not only about trade but also about the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war, reports Reuters.
The Houthi rebels claim solidarity with the Palestinians and have threatened to extend attacks despite US and UK strikes on their positions.
On Wednesday, the movement confirmed that it remains firm in its position and announced that its missiles had hit the US bulk carrier Genco Picardy.
The ship operator Genco has confirmed that the Houthis attacked its ship,
the Genco Picardy, as it was passing through the Gulf of Aden with a cargo of phosphate rock. The missile caused minor damage to the gangway, with no injuries to the crew. The vessel is now on course to leave the area, Genco said.
Following the Houthi attack on the USS Genco Picardy, the US military struck 14 Houthi missiles that were considered to be a direct threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region.
On Monday, the Houthis attacked the US dry cargo ship Gibraltar Eagle and US officials have stated that
the designation of the Houthis as ” Specially Designated Global Terrorists”
is aimed to stop the funding and weapons used by the movement to attack or hijack ships.
The Houthi spokesman stated that attacks on ships would continue and that the designation as a terrorist group would not affect their position, while Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stressed the need to end the war in Gaza in order to eliminate the threat to shipping.
Bank leaders are concerned that the crisis could lead to inflation pressures.
Freight rates have more than doubled since the beginning of December as war risk premiums for Red Sea shipments have risen.
Attacks on the route, which accounts for 15% of global shipping traffic between Europe and Asia, are causing major disruption at Italian ports, with Italy’s foreign minister urging European Union member states to set up a maritime security mission as soon as possible, writes Reuters.
Also read: US and UK carry out strikes against Yemen’s Houthis
Follow us on Facebook and X!