War Against Global Trade in the Red Sea Intensifies
On 12 June, Houthi forces struck another blow to global trade by attacking the Greek vessel Tutor, operating under the Liberian flag. This follows attacks on two other ships over the previous three days. Since November 2023, over 60 non-military vessels have been attacked. The Houthis, supported by the Iranian government, began these assaults on maritime vessels off the Yemeni coast, ostensibly to pressure Israel, which launched an anti-terrorist operation in Gaza in response to a major terrorist attack on 7 October 2023. The Houthis employ small, fast-armed boats and Iranian-made anti-ship missiles. They do not limit their attacks to Israeli ships but strike almost anyone, with the pace of their attacks seemingly accelerating in recent weeks.
It is a mistake to think that only relatively small trading ships are targeted. For example, the aforementioned Tutor has a deadweight tonnage of 82,300 tonnes and a length of 229 metres. It was built recently, in 2022, according to vesselfinder.com. The Tutor was attacked by a small armed Houthi boat near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah. The attack damaged the engine room, causing seawater to enter. The ship is owned by a Greek shipping company, making it reasonable to consider the act of piracy as being committed against a NATO member country. This is not the first such incident.
Photo: The bulk carrier Tutor was attacked on 12 June by an armed boat and damaged. Source: marinetraffic.com
On 9 June, the Norderney, flying the flag of Bermuda, was hit by two missiles—one ballistic and one cruise. This relatively new ship, built in 2012, is much smaller and used for transporting general cargo, with a deadweight tonnage of 5,500 tonnes and a length of 108 metres. Despite the damage, it reached the port of Djibouti two days later.
Photo: On 9 June, the ship Norderney, flying the flag of Bermuda, was struck by two missiles—one ballistic and one cruise. Source: marinetraffic.com
On the same day, 9 June, the container ship Tavvishi, operating under the Liberian flag and owned by a Swiss company, was attacked in the Gulf of Aden by two Houthi ballistic missiles. This large vessel has a deadweight tonnage of 67,700 tonnes and a length of 278 metres. During the attack, one missile struck the Tavvishi, while the other was intercepted by coalition warships patrolling the region.
Houthi representatives announced that the 9 June attacks involved not only various types of missiles but also drones. They also claimed to have attacked a coalition warship, which is tasked with protecting the security of free navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Photo: On 9 June, the container ship Tavvishi, operated under the Liberian flag by a Swiss owner, was attacked by two Houthi ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Aden. Source: marinetraffic.com
The US-led coalition was deployed in the Red Sea in December 2023 to combat Houthi attacks. On 18 December, the US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III announced the formation of a coalition under Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) in response to escalating Houthi attacks on global trade in the Red Sea. Secretary Austin stated, "The recent escalation of reckless Houthi attacks from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent seafarers, and violates international law. The Red Sea is a critical waterway essential for freedom of navigation and a major commercial corridor supporting international trade. Countries committed to upholding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation must unite to address the challenge posed by this non-state actor, launching ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at commercial ships from many nations legally transiting international waters."
The OPG coalition initially included the United States, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain. Greece and Sri Lanka later joined, and India and Pakistan also indicated participation in security operations, though their naval forces operate independently of OPG command.
In addition to intercepting missiles and UAVs, coalition forces are also targeting Houthi military installations. For example, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on 11 June via the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) the destruction of two missile launchers in Yemen: "In the past 24 hours, US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) launchers in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. The launchers posed an immediate threat to US and coalition forces, as well as to commercial vessels passing through the region."
Has the Houthi campaign in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden crippled global trade? Fortunately, no. However, trade has become significantly less safe and more expensive. According to gcaptain.com, Houthi attacks have increased war risk insurance costs from 0.02% to 0.7% of the cargo's value—an increase of 35 times. In many cases, this cost increase makes longer, alternative routes around Africa economically viable. Initially, this disruption affected supply chains, but by early spring 2024, the situation stabilised, though the increased shipping costs remain.