USA forges defense pact for Red Sea
Following rocket attacks by Houthi rebels on freighters in the Red Sea, international shipping companies are now avoiding the Suez Canal. The USA is forming an international alliance to carry out joint patrols. It is still unclear how powerful the ten-state alliance will be.
The USA announces the formation of a multinational alliance to secure the sea routes in the Red Sea. "This is an international challenge that requires joint action. That is why today I am announcing the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a major new multinational security initiative," said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a visit to Bahrain. The countries involved are the UK, Bahrain, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles and Spain. Joint patrols are planned in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The main threat comes from the Huthi rebels in Yemen, who are allied with Hamas. A statement from the Huthi was not initially available. The Houthis have threatened to attack all ships on their way to Israel and warned international shipping companies not to call at Israeli ports. Earlier, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi politburo, told Al Jazeera television that his group was capable of opposing any US-led coalition sent into the Red Sea. On Monday, they claimed responsibility for drone attacks on two other ships in the Red Sea.
Shipping companies stop route through Suez Canal
It is unclear whether the states involved are prepared to do what US warships have been doing in recent days - shooting down Huthi missiles and drones and rushing to the aid of merchant ships under attack. In view of the attacks, major shipping companies are avoiding the Suez Canal for the time being. The world's largest container shipping company MSC, the Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk, the French shipping company CMA CGM and the Taiwanese container shipping company Evergreen have stopped their container shipments through the area. Germany's Hapag-Lloyd has also stopped sailing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea until further notice.
Around 15 percent of global shipping traffic passes through the Suez Canal, the shortest route between Europe and Asia. The detour around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa leads to longer travel times and higher prices. The rebels had announced that they would continue their attacks until the end of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. In recent weeks, they have also fired drones and rockets towards Israel.
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- In response to the threats by the Houthi rebels, Hapag-Lloyd, a prominent German shipping company, has temporarily halted sailing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
- The USA, along with its allies including Hapag-Lloyd, is planning joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to counter the increasing risks posed by the Huthi rebels.
- The Red Sea has become a hotspot of tension, with major shipping companies like Maersk and MSC avoiding the area due to the escalating tensions and rocket attacks by the Houthi rebels, allied with Hamas, which have also targeted Israeli ports.
Source: www.ntv.de
