Houthis put on warning: Now what?

IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez condemned Houthi attacks at meeting of UN Security Council [UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe]

Yesterday saw growing international concern over the situation in the Red Sea as Houthi attacks on merchant ships caused more vessels to avoid the area and sent ocean freight rates soaring. While the story that hit the headlines was a formal joint statement from the governments of the United States and a dozen other nations warning the Houthis against further attacks, earlier in the day, the UN Security Council held a meeting on the issue.

Among those addressing the meeting was IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez, who condemned the Houthi attacks and spelled out some of the consequences.

A significant number of shipping companies — approximately 18 — have already decided to reroute their vessels around South Africa to reduce risks, he said. This requires 10 additional days of travel, paying higher freight rates and dealing with negative impacts on trade.

What was said by a number of other speakers at the Security Council meeting, including the representatives of Russia and China, is likely getting a lot of attention by defense and diplomatic analysts today as they weigh the level of international support for yesterday’s formal joint statement from the Governments of the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

The statement reads:

Recognizing the broad consensus as expressed by 44 countries around the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the statement by the UN Security Council on December 1, 2023, condemning Houthi attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea, and in light of ongoing attacks, including a significant escalation over the past week targeting commercial vessels, with missiles, small boats, and attempted hijackings,

We hereby reiterate the following and warn the Houthis against further attacks:

Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. There is no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels. Attacks on vessels, including commercial vessels, using unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats, and missiles, including the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles against such vessels, are a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

These attacks threaten innocent lives from all over the world and constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action. Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade. International shipping companies continue to reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods, and ultimately jeopardizing the movement of critical food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.

Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways. We remain committed to the international rules-based order and are determined to hold malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.

SHIPPING WELCOMES STATEMENT

The World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO issued a joint statement expressing their thanks to the 12 nations.

“As the governments of the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have all stated, these attacks are unacceptable, illegal and directly threaten the freedom of navigation that is fundamental to global trade,” they said. “On behalf of our members and their seafarers and customers throughout the world, the organizations thank these 12 nations for their strong commitment to defending rules-based international order and to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.

“The shipping associations call on all nations and international organizations to protect seafarers, international trade in the Red Sea, and to support the welfare of the global commons by bringing all pressure to bear on the aggressors so that these intolerable attacks cease with immediate effect.”

WHITEHOUSE BRIEFING

The question remains whether the Houthis will heed the warning and, if not, what the response from the U.S. and its partners will be. A “senior official” was less than specific on that at a White House background briefing yesterday. You can read the transcript HERE.

DRONE BOAT ATTACK

At a Pentagon briefing today, it emerged that even after the issuance of the warning, the Houthis latest attack came early this morning, when a Houthi one-way attack unmanned surface vessel, or USV, detonated in international shipping lanes.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties and no ships were hit, but the introduction of a one-way attack USV is of concern,” Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, told reporters. Read the transcript of that briefing HERE