Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: EU naval operation starts under pressure!

The US government under President Donald Trump has redesignated the Houthi militia in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization, in part in response to their attacks on the US military and merchant ships in the Middle East. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that this decision would result in serious sanctions. As early as January 2024, the Houthis reported compromising attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, which prominently serves as a shipping route. The USA and Great Britain responded with air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, which targeted missiles and radar technology. Several people were killed as a result Deutschlandfunk reported.

The Houthis, a Shiite military movement in civil war-torn Yemen, carry out their attacks on the grounds that they support Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This military aggressiveness is aimed at destabilizing international maritime trade, which has already led to a noticeable increase in detours for merchant ships. Among other things, a significant proportion of shipping now bypasses the Red Sea, affecting the Suez Canal, through which a large proportion of the world's trade flows. Due to this threat, the European Union and Germany have also launched military operations in the Red Sea with the frigate “Hessen” to protect merchant ships, such as oe24 reported. The frigate, which is equipped with modern anti-aircraft systems, has already repelled attacks by the Houthis.

Geopolitical tensions are intensifying

The Houthi conflict is embroiled in international political tensions as the group is also considered part of Iran's zone of influence in the Middle East. Iran has provided military support to the Houthis and there is a “convergence of interests” regarding their goals. Experts fear that the Houthis are trying to position themselves as a major player in the resistance against Israel, solidifying their support in the Arab region. As international pressure mounts on the Houthis, their military capacity has strengthened, with an estimated 200,000 fighters and a variety of war machines.