In a surprising move, Iran-backed Houthi rebels—responsible for dozens of attacks on Western-linked commercial vessels and warships in the critical maritime chokepoint of the Southern Red Sea—are reportedly planning to host a seminar and webinar on "security of navigation in the Red Sea."
The shipping news website gCaptain, citing a report from the maritime publication TradeWinds, indicated that the Houthis are extending an olive branch to industry insiders by seeking input on the agenda for an upcoming conference on security and shipping, aimed at providing insights to "enrich the discussion."
Here's more from gCaptain:
The email, sent to TradeWinds by an events manager for the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), is raising eyebrows across the shipping community. HOCC is the same entity that has issued threats to shipping companies and shipowners, including warnings earlier this year that vessels failing to cooperate with Houthi authorities would be "banned" from crossing the Red Sea.
Those warnings also included direct threats that ships calling at Israeli ports would be "directly targeted by the Yemeni Armed Forces" in locations "deemed appropriate."
In stark contrast, the latest email strikes a markedly softer tone. It invites industry participation to discuss the "current state of navigation security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden" and Yemen's role in ensuring safe passage.
"Within the framework of enhancing cooperation and discussing issues of common interest," the email reads, "your active participation will undoubtedly contribute to ensuring the success of this event and achieving the desired effect."
Experts warn that responding could inadvertently legitimize the group's actions.
The irony in all of this is that the Houthis have been responsible for disrupting global shipping in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for over a year, targeting Western-linked container ships, tankers, and military vessels.
Washington Institute's Noam Raydan penned a note this week outlining, "Houthis effectively turned the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint into an anti-access/area-denial zone" this year, launching attacks on at least 100 commercial ships and warships.
Houthis are extending an olive branch to the shipping industry at a time when tanker flows through the critical maritime chokepoint are surging from the lows (according to Goldman analysts)...
... and also come when the Trump administration is about a month away from entering the White House with expected hardline counter-Houthi policies.
