Houthis reject joint statement of 12 countries condemning attacks on the Red Sea

Sana (Uttam Hindu News): The Iran-backed Houthi militia rejected a joint statement issued by 12 Western countries warning rebels against attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea and vowing to continue targeting “Israeli-linked” vessels until the war in Gaza ends. swore off.

In a statement on Thursday, Houthi spokesman Dhaifallah al-Shami said it was “a moral failure and a pathetic attempt to cover up Israel’s crimes”, noting that “the US and Western countries Supporting Israel in the genocide of the Palestinian people.” He stressed that the armed group would continue to attack “commercial ships associated with Israel” until Israel ends its offensive in Hamas-controlled territory.

Since November 2023, the militia has attacked commercial vessels in the area more than 20 times after the terrorist group announced support for Hamas in its ongoing war with Israel. The Houthis have used missiles, drones, fast boats and helicopters to carry out the attacks and claimed that the targeted ships were linked to Israel.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the group of 12 countries – Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the US – issued a warning to the Houthis and condemned the attack in the Red Sea. Illegal, unacceptable and deeply destabilizing”. He said there was “no legal justification for deliberately targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels,” the BBC reported, adding that the Houthis “will face consequences” if the attacks continued.

Nations also called for an “immediate end” to the attacks, they said, posing a “direct threat to freedom of navigation” in the vital waterway, through which about 15 percent of global trade passes. According to the International Chamber of Shipping, 20 percent of the world’s container ships are currently avoiding the Red Sea as a result of the attacks.

The Houthis control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, where the group held the Galaxy Leader, a Japanese-operated cargo ship belonging to an Israeli company, and its crew from 19 November 2023 Is. The US along with other Western countries last week formed a multinational maritime coalition to protect ships transiting the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.