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    • Yemen’s Houthis exist because the international community appeases them
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    Yemen’s Houthis exist because the international community appeases them

    Pabio Posted on

    A recent report indicated that the Houthis could now send correspondence to companies seeking to threaten them regarding shipping in the Red Sea. The report appeared in The Spiegel. This is one of several new reports focusing on the Houthis and their tactics. The group continues to target ships, including U.S. Navy ships. This is what happens when countries appease a group like the Houthis.

    The Iran-backed Houthis have been attacking ships and targeting Israel since October, when Hamas carried out its massacre. They claim they carry out attacks behind the back Hamas and Gaza. The group has reoriented its attacks over the past year, sometimes focusing on commercial ships, sometimes even on U.S. military vessels.

    Sometimes they also use drones to target the southern Israeli port city of Eilat. They even used a drone to target Tel Aviv.

    The Houthis are what happens when the international community appeases groups like this. The Houthis have not always been this powerful. They burst onto the scene in 2015, threatening Yemen port city of Aden. Saudi Arabia carried out an intervention in Yemen to support the government against the Houthi rebels.

    The rebels were receiving weapons from Iran, including missile and drone technology. They constituted a clear and present danger to navigation and the region.

    Houthi tribesmen gather to show defiance after US and British airstrikes on Houthi positions near Sanaa, Yemen, February 4, 2024 (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)

    However, instead of the international community supporting Saudi Arabia, many countries have sought a ceasefire in Yemen. The Houthis have gained power. Eventually, a ceasefire left them in control of part of Yemen. They have increased their arsenal, drawing inspiration from the model of Hezbollah and Hamas. Iran prefers “non-state actor” groups because they are not held accountable to the international community. It’s the best of both worlds for Iran. These groups can become stronger than the failed states they feed off.

    Hezbollah is stronger than Lebanon, Hamas is stronger than the Palestinian Authority, the Houthis are stronger than Yemen, and the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are probably stronger than the government in Baghdad.

    Houthis attack ships. They may also extort businesses or find other ways to maintain their role in the attempted blockade of Israel. They target certain ships and certain companies. They do not appear to target Chinese or Russian-linked vessels. Iran supplies drones to Russia and has a 25-year deal with China.

    THE The Spiegel The report notes that “the Houthis obviously have well-documented email addresses, as the threats were also sent to individual contacts,” said Irina Haesler, a member of the board of the Association of German Shipowners (VDR). “Haesler spoke of targeted attempts at intimidation. The association is in contact with the security authorities. The press release does not specify how many threatening emails German shipowners have received,” the report notes.

    180 million dollars per month

    Meanwhile, Lloyd’s List noted in early November that a UN panel of experts was investigating the Houthis. The same report said the group could earn $180 million a month by charging Red Sea transit fees.

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    “The alleged payment of fees is not the only direct interaction between the Houthis’ growing operations and shipping companies. According to the report, Houthi-controlled companies import oil and liquefied petroleum gas using fake country of origin certificates, through Hodeidah and Ras Isa, sometimes bypassing inspections by the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism United,” notes the report.

    The stories of bribes paid to the Houthis date back a year. The group may be finding ways to receive money illegally.

    “ShippingWatch, citing several Middle East sources with extensive knowledge of the situation, says negotiations have taken place to ensure that the Houthi rebels allow ships from certain carriers to navigate the waters safely. In return, these shipping companies must guarantee that their cargoes do not include Israeli goods or involve docking in Israeli ports. ShippingWatch did not mention which carriers are involved,” the GCaptain website noted in January 2024. Doubts remain about how much the Houthis could receive.

    The Houthis also rejected reports that they earn $180 million a month, according to a Lloyds List report.

    While the reports are not entirely accurate, they paint a picture of how the Houthis are out of control and feel they can blackmail, extort and threaten businesses. The group also continues to target Israel despite two waves of Israeli strikes over the past year intended to deter them.

    The fact is that they are not deterred. Furthermore, attempts by the United States and other navies to secure the Red Sea have not worked so far. This is what happens when the world appeases these types of groups. The Houthis will not stop, they will become bolder and they now feel they can disrupt international shipping at will. The Iranians support them; therefore, Iran now has a foothold on one of the world’s major shipping channels.



    Pabio
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