Red Sea Maritime Corridor and the Impact of US Air Strikes on the Sea Piracy by Houthis
Dr. Devender Kumar
The US has retaliated against the Houthis in the Red Sea which led to the killing of 100 civilians in Yemen and also warned Iran for its support to Houthis. Trump 2.0 has accused Houthis of sea piracy, terrorism, violence, and for damaging the major vessels passing through the Red Sea a major route linking Asia to Europe. The “National Security Advisor of the US (Mike Waltz)” has warned Iran to “stop aiding the terrorist organization” and held it responsible “for financing and supporting Houthis“. Meanwhile, Iran has denounced the American warnings but the US actions have raised questions such as whether the US is planning to attack Iran.
According to an “International Monetary Fund” report nearly ‘15 percent of global trade’ passes through this route. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks have reduced trade by 50 percent in these routes, especially in the Suez Canal (a major maritime Chokepoint), “Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea”. The US intends to secure freedom of navigation and ensure peaceful economic order via securing shipping routes, naval assets, and control in the air which may escalate to regional rivalry and conflict in the Red Sea area.
Since 2023, Houthis have conducted nearly 133 attacks and targeted nearly 100 merchant Vessels (carrying oil and gas), and military and commercial ships that heavily impacted international economic projects, global trade, and energy supplies between Europe and Asia. This caused the countries to divert their trade from the Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope (near South Africa), with an increase of 74 percent in trade while reducing the trade on the Suez Canal by 66 percent. The Houthi activities also impacted port calls in West Asia, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa
Houthis are a Shia minority and a follower of Zaydi form of Islam in Yemen. The grouping acquired the center stage in Yemen following the ousting of Mansur Hadi (the then president) following the Arab Springs and the capture of the capital Sana by Houthis in 2014 which divided the country into Southern Yemen (Mansur Hadi) and Northern Yemen (Ali Abdullah Saleh) with Houthis emerging as a major force with backing from Iran due to Shia proximity. Yemen faces the longest civil war in the past 14 years since the Arab Spring. While separatist and secessionist movements between Houthi tribals and the independent Salafi fighters have brought regional actors such as Iran and Saudi Arabia to the power tussle. The Houthi's capture of countries' major institutions after the downfall of governmental machinery has given rise to a fight between a Sunni coalition of Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.) and Shia Iran.
The Houthis have controlled nearly all institutions of the state and made advances in Aden (Southern Yemen) now have also banned US ships in the Red Sea and threatened to attack Israeli ships while also conducted attacks against American allies such as UAE and Saud Arabia, many countries are facing the possibility of attacks on their oil infrastructure as Houthis expand their attacks and threaten maritime security of many countries.
American air strikes on Houthis are likely to have four major impacts on West Asian politics and global trade; first, the American strikes are likely to disrupt the maritime trade of many countries and impact global oil prices. The Trump 1.0 also conducted strikes on Houthis and the grouping has already endured nearly 260 counterattacks from the Biden administration, the UK, and subsequent others such as Saudi Arabia under Operation Decisive Storm (2015) and Israel. Hence international market would witness instability due to the US retaliation as shipping lanes would be impacted in the “Bab-el Mandeb, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea”. Houthis vow to retaliate and subsequent blockade of channels would disrupt the shipments of energy in the Red Sea and impact the global energy prices, supply chains, and supply of goods.
Second, the geopolitical tensions would increase in West Asia with the US air strikes as the Houthis have vowed to “increase attacks” on the US and are likely to enmesh American regional allies namely the Sunni Gulf states (UAE and Saudi Arabia) as escalations increase between the US and the Houthis that would bring the Saudi-led coalition to further destabilize the entire region.
Third, the scuffle would disturb the trading routes in Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and shipping lanes as other regional powers such as Saudi Araba and UAE could be involved in the war as Iran heavily backs the Houthis which may bring the regional actors to complicate the situation and disrupt the global supply chains. Iran never supports US dictates and blames the gulf for being Western puppets hence would be compelled to aggressively support Houthis and escalate the confrontation between the US, Iran, and the Saudi-led coalition.
Fourth, Yemen’s humanitarian aid and shipping costs would be impacted by the US strikes as Yemen faces the world’s worst humanitarian crisis since the Arab Spring and Covid-19 which impacted the country since the fall of the capital Sana to Houthis and their control over the major institutions in the country. The strikes by the US would affect the supplies of food and aid delivery to Yemen hence local Yemenis would pay the price for the Houthis attacks as the country faces a world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The US air strikes would increase the maritime transportation cost as shipping lanes have come under a warzone. Therefore, countries such as India have to carefully follow these developments as they have a bearing on the major energy supply routes which would be crucial for ensuring energy supplies to the country from the “Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea”.
Dr. Devender Kumar is Assistant Professor at the Center of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies (CEGIS), REVA University.
