In the shadow of the Houthi threat, the international community is put on alert as through the Shiite rebel bloc trade is at stake the global economy.

With the code name “Guardians of Prosperity” 10 countries, US-initiated, form military alliance to ensure free navigation in Red Sea after barrage of attacks by the Yemeni rebels supported by Tehran.

Already oil giants and shipping companies are “freezing” the passage through the Suez Canal with experts warning for domino developments in the global economy.

With the special operation, Western countries want to show their strength to the Houthis, with the US talking about “tough international response” by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

The business unites many countries including the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

It is noted that the attacks on passing ships from the Bab al-Madeb strait are now commonplaceresulting in shipping giants and oil company BP abandoning the Suez Canal, through which 9% of the world’s oil and 12% of world trade…

These ships will now go around almost all of Africa. This in numbers, translates in about 3,500 extra nautical miles and in time it means 9 to 12 days more. Ships will consume, too about 1000 tons of fuel more…

The transformation of the Red Sea into a prohibited zone could bring an increase in the prices of oil and transported products as well as significant delays in deliveries…

Even if the United States mobilizes the entire world, the attacks will not stop, pro-Iranian rebels threaten…

Threats from the Houthis: “Target the ships of the countries that will act against us”

A senior Houthi rebel official said on Tuesday that “any country” that acted against them would see its ships targeted in the Red Sea, a day after Washington formed a multinational maritime protection force.

“Any country that acts against us will see its ships targeted in the Red Sea,” Mohammad Ali al-Houthi said in an interview with the al-Alam website, the Arabic-language network of Iran’s official television.

Earlier today, the Houthis had announced that “even if America succeeds in mobilizing the whole world, our military operations will not stop (…) whatever the sacrifices it will cost us».

Some container ships are at anchor in the Red Sea and others have disabled their tracking systems as they adjust routes and rates in response to sea attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on the main east-west trade route.

Urgent signal to Greek ships moving in the Red Sea

Emergency signal also issued last Saturday by the Directorate of Maritime Shipping of the Coast Guard recommending to ships under the Greek flag or of Greek interests moving in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to avoid Yemeni waters.

According to a report by Yiannis Souliotis in Kathimerini, the urgent notification comes following the escalation of aggressive actions against commercial ships in the area.

The competent directorate of the Coast Guard in its signal that it communicated to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense still recommends that ships carry out as much as possible, night view of the southern Red Sea and the Bab el Madeb Strait.

SKAI – Daily – APE-MPE