The Houthis have carried out dozens of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the latest being the burning of the MV Verbena, along with damage to the Tootor vessel in recent days. Houthi assaults on international navigation in the Red Sea have impacted a vital trade route that typically represents between 10% to 15% of international maritime trade, resulting in millions of dollars in losses and costs.
A new U.S. intelligence report revealed that shipping activity through the Red Sea has decreased by 90% since February, according to Axios. The interests of more than 65 countries have been affected, and at least 29 major shipping and energy companies have altered their routes away from the region, as reported.
Additionally, insurance premiums for transit have risen to 1% of the total value of the ship during the same time frame. Alternative routes around Africa cover 11,000 nautical miles, taking up to two weeks of travel and costing a million dollars in fuel.
Furthermore, over a dozen commercial vessels were bombarded between November and March, along with a few attempted hijackings. Notably, more than a dozen commercial vessels were attacked between November and March, with few hijacking attempts reported. Houthi attacks on civilian and military ships began in late last year, with the militia initially claiming that their actions were in response to "the Israeli war in Gaza," although many of their targets have no relation to that, according to the Axios report.
In March, the British-owned cargo ship Rubymar sank while carrying 21,000 metric tons of fertilizers, which officials fear could lead to an environmental disaster. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has spent a billion dollars so far on munitions to counter ballistic missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and explosive drones in the region.
"Despite many of the attacks failing or being intercepted, the Houthi stocks do not appear to be close to running out, even as sporadic U.S. and British strikes against them continue," confirmed Behnam Ben Taleblu from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
