Oil company Shell’s tankers will not, until further notice, pass through Red Seawrites the authoritative financial newspaper today Wall Street Journalbecause of threat posed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

According to the publication, Mr group took this decision last week due to the threat to crews and the risk of causing an oil spillin case a tanker is attacked.

A Shell representative who was asked about the matter by the French Agencydeclined to comment.

From the end of November about 30 ships have been attacked by the Houthis in this area. The last days, Iran-backed Yemeni rebels have stepped up attacks on ships they believe are linked to Israel, forcing many shipping companies to avoid Eritrea and choose longer routes, going around Africa, increasing transport costs. Two oil companies, BP and QatarEnergy as well as shipping giant Maersk have taken similar decisions. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, from Davos where he is, estimated that the escalation of attacks in the Red Sea will affect the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG). “There are alternative routes but (…) they are less efficient” than the one currently followed, through the Red Sea, said al-Thani, whose country is one of the world’s most important LNG producers.

The Russian oil tanker group Sovcomflot is also looking for alternative routes if the crisis escalates further. as reported by the TASS agency. The company still uses the Red Sea Routebut “due to the escalation of hostilities in the area, it is currently impossible to predict” whether its tankers will continue to pass through.

“The company closely monitors the developments and assesses the risks. If necessary, alternative routes for the ships will be sought,” the agency added.

Russia has condemned the US and British military strikes in Yemenwhich according to Moscow amounts to an irresponsible venture that could cause chaos throughout the Middle East.