Houthis seize ship in Red Sea amid threats to target Israeli-linked vessels
On Sunday, November 19, 2023, Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized a British-owned and Japanese-operated cargo ship in the southern Red Sea, in what Israel described as an “Iranian act of terrorism” with consequences for international maritime security. The vessel, named Rabigh-3, was towing a South Korean drilling rig when it was hijacked by two boats affiliated with the Houthi militia. The Houthis claimed to have captured three ships within 3 miles off Uqban island and taken them to the Salif port in western Yemen.
The incident raised fears that regional tensions heightened over the Israel-Gaza war were playing out on a new maritime front. The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have justified the action as a retaliation for Israel’s support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. The coalition, which is advised and supported by the US, has been waging a war against the Houthis since 2015, after they ousted the internationally-recognized government and forced its president to flee.
The seizure of the ship threatens vital shipping routes in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is used for oil shipments from the Gulf to Europe, as well as goods from Asia to Europe. Saudi military spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki called the seizure a “terrorist operation” that posed a threat to the freedom of international navigation and world trade. He did not say how many crew members were aboard the ship, but a Houthi official said that two South Koreans were among those captured. The South Korean foreign ministry confirmed that the nationals were safe and healthy and demanded their immediate release.
The Houthis have in the past targeted oil tankers and military ships belonging to Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition. They have also claimed responsibility for drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil processing facility in September 2023, which halved the country’s production. Both Saudi and US investigators blamed Iran for the attack, which Iran denied.
The ship seizure shows the Houthis’ strength at “insurgency-type warfare”, particularly their ability to operate in the maritime domain, according to Gerry Northwood, a maritime security expert. He said that the Houthis have demonstrated their capabilities to disrupt, whether that be missile attacks, laying mines, or in this case taking a vessel.
The incident also reflects the growing influence of Iran in the region, as it seeks to counter the US and its allies. Iran has been accused of providing weapons and training to the Houthis, as well as supporting other proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza. Iran has also been involved in several confrontations with the US and its allies in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, where it has seized or attacked several ships in recent years.
The ship seizure is likely to escalate the already volatile situation in the Middle East, where multiple conflicts and rivalries are intertwined. The international community has called for a peaceful resolution of the Yemeni crisis, which has caused the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, with millions of people facing famine, disease, and displacement. However, the prospects for peace remain elusive, as the warring parties have failed to implement a UN-brokered ceasefire agreement signed in 2018. The latest act of piracy by the Houthis may further complicate the efforts to end the war and restore stability in the region.
