Attacks on ships in the Red Sea: shipping companies avoid important trade route
The more than a dozen drones were fired from the destroyer "USS Carney" with no reports of damage to ships or casualties, Centcom said on the online service X (formerly Twitter). They were fired from areas in Yemen controlled by the Shiite Huthi militias, it added.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had previously stated that he had discussed the attacks in the Red Sea with his British counterpart Grant Shapps. In the online service X, Austin described them as "irresponsible and illegal" and "an international problem that needs to be addressed".
On Saturday, Austin announced a trip to the Middle East with stops in Israel, Bahrain and Qatar. Austin's visit to Bahrain will focus on "U.S. efforts to build multilateral coalitions to respond to maritime aggression that threatens shipping and the global economy," the Pentagon said.
In Israel, Austin will meet with senior military officials to discuss "the next steps in the conflict after a possible end to ground operations and high-intensity airstrikes," a senior US Department of Defense official said.
Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, the Iran-affiliated Houthi militia in Yemen has repeatedly fired drones and missiles at Israel and attacked ships in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebels are threatening to attack any ship on its way to Israel unless it is allowed to import food and medicine into the Gaza Strip.
The Red Sea is an important route for international trade: thousands of ships pass through the strait between Yemen on the south-western tip of the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa every year.
Due to the ongoing attacks, two more shipping companies, the Italian-Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and the French CMA CGM, announced on Saturday that they would no longer sail through the strait. On Friday, the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd and the Danish shipping company Maersk had already announced their intention to suspend their voyages through the Red Sea for the time being. A container ship belonging to the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd had previously come under fire.
The Association of German Shipowners (VDR) called for an international military alliance to protect civilian shipping in the Red Sea - including the German Armed Forces. The USA, France and England are already present in the region with military ships, said association president Martin Kröger on Bayerischer Rundfunk radio. "In this respect, we are very much in favor of establishing a maritime alliance to protect maritime traffic in the region."
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- The attacks in the Red Sea have led to shipping companies avoiding this important trade route.
- Centcom reported no damage or casualties from the drone attacks in Yemen, controlled by Huthi militias.
- Austin discussed the Red Sea attacks with Grant Shapps, the UK's Secretary of State for Transport.
- Austin described the attacks as irresponsible, illegal, and an international problem.
- Austin announced a trip to Israel, Bahrain, and Qatar to address maritime aggression affecting shipping.
- In Israel, Austin will discuss the conflict's next steps with military officials.
- The Houthi militia has attacked ships in the Red Sea and threatened any ship bound for Israel.
- The Red Sea is a crucial route for international trade, with thousands of ships passing annually.
- Following the attacks, MSC and CMA CGM announced they would no longer sail through the strait.
- Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk had previously announced their intention to suspend voyages due to safety concerns.
- Kröger, the VDR president, called for an international military alliance to protect civilian shipping in the Red Sea.
- Lloyd Austin will focus on US efforts to build coalitions against maritime aggression during his Bahrain visit.
- The Red Sea has been a hotspot for tensions between Israel, Hamas, and the Iran-affiliated Houthi militia.
- The ongoing attacks have impacted trade routes from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean through the Red Sea.
Source: www.stern.de
