UN: Ongoing attacks in the Red Sea may lead to an escalation of military tensions in the region
UN: Ongoing attacks in the Red Sea may lead to an escalation of military tensions in the region
The United Nations (UN) has said that Houthi attacks in Yemen on merchant ships in the Red Sea must stop, and warned that there is a risk of increased military tensions in the region if attacks continue.
Attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea were discussed at a meeting of the UN Security Council on the topic "International stability and security".
Mohamed Khaled Hiari, UN Under-Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, said that the UN continues to warn the parties against developments in the region, and said: "The continuing threats of Houthi naval expeditions continue to raise serious concerns about the risk of further military escalation and could potentially affect millions of people in Yemen, the region and around the world."
Highlighting the potential impact of the current attacks in and around the Red Sea on shipping and trade, Hiari said they reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the safety of navigation.
Reiterating the need to stop such attacks emanating from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Hiari said: "No reason or complaint about freedom of navigation can justify the continuation of these attacks."
Hiari called on all parties involved in the region to refrain from further escalation, stressing that this is crucial for the normalization of navigation in the Red Sea and eliminating the risk of Yemen being drawn into a regional conflict.
What happened in the Red Sea
Following recent Houthi actions in Yemen against commercial vessels in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, many shipping companies have decided to stop their flights in the Red Sea.
On December 6, the Pentagon announced that it was negotiating the creation of an international "Naval task force" to counter Houthi attacks in Yemen on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, and on December 18 announced the creation of a multinational mission called Operation Guardian of Rafah.
While the Houthi attacks have jeopardized passage through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, offers the shortest route between Europe and Asia and is the source of about 12 percent of global trade, attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and subsequent decisions by companies have increased fears about the onset of a new "supply chain crisis" in the global economy.
