A united front has been formed by the governments of the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to issue a serious warning to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
This joint declaration is a response to the intensifying attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime passageway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In the past week, there have been alarming reports of major attacks in the area, with commercial vessels being targeted by missiles and small boats in attempted hijackings.
The international community, in the statement, voiced their deep concern about the potential impact of these attacks on global commerce and the stability of the region.
The statement included the following: “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.
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“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.”
