The brazen act of sabotage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against the Greek tanker SOUNION in the Red Sea has highlighted the stark failure of the US-led naval mission, ‘Prosperity Guardian,’ to safeguard maritime shipping. Moreover, the European Union’s inability to swiftly respond to the deteriorating situation in the Red Sea marks yet another instance where the international maritime community’s pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Footage released on Thursday showed Houthi rebels, designated as a terrorist group by the US, boarding the tanker after subjecting her to repeated attacks approximately 80 nautical miles from Hodeidah. The ship’s crew was evacuated by a French frigate participating in the European naval mission ‘Aspides’ and later transported to Djibouti unharmed. The SOUNION incident posed a significant risk of causing one of the five largest tanker disasters and oil spills in history. While Iran has announced that the Houthis will allow a salvage operation, no spokesperson from the group has publicly confirmed it yet.
The Houthis initiated attacks on shipping late last year, sinking two vessels and killing innocent seafarers. They also continue to hold the crew of the vehicle carrier GALAXY LEADER, including a Bulgarian captain and chief mate.
Fear of Iran
During a visit to the Middle East in December, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin launched ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian,’ a new international initiative to counter Houthi threats. The mission was intended to ensure “international maritime security and capacity-building efforts in the Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden.” However, the operation stalled from the outset when several countries declined to assume US command. Many nations expressed concerns that the Biden administration was prepared to launch significant strikes against targets in Yemen. While such strikes did occur, they were limited in scope and had minimal impact, even as attacks on innocent seafarers surged. Furthermore, it was recently revealed that the US military leadership had prevented a series of powerful strikes that would have significantly curtailed the rebels’ ability to attack shipping.
Brussels Turns a Deaf Ear
The European Union launched its own naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea. Warships from member states provide escorts for commercial vessels with European interests. From the early stages of ‘Operation Aspides,’ it became clear that a more robust commitment was needed. Most countries limited their contributions to staff officers. The mission’s military command, headquartered in Greece, repeatedly urged Brussels to send additional ships, but these calls went unheeded, as did pleas for the EU to intervene immediately to free the crew of the GALAXY LEADER. It was only when the Houthis directly threatened the safety of a French frigate assisting the distressed crew of the SOUNION, as evidenced by the group’s claims and subsequent Hollywood-style footage of the tanker’s explosion, that the situation escalated.
A New Front Against Shipping?
Meanwhile, Iran has detained several vessels in the Persian Gulf, and international security experts warn of a potential new front against shipping in those waters in response to the ongoing aggression in Gaza, the assassination of the Hamas leader, and the US flexing its muscles with a buildup of military equipment and carrier strike groups near its borders. Satellite data analyzed by Maritime.bg shows that Iran has withdrawn all “spy” ships suspected of directing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden. This coincides with reports of severe GPS disruptions and an expected “limited” response to the killing of Ismail Haniya in Tehran.
A Voice in the Wilderness
The repeated calls from Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for greater attention to the situation in the Red Sea have fallen on deaf ears. The story of Houthi attacks and the lack of a serious global response is eerily reminiscent of the maritime industry’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the industry continues to support the global economy, it is once again seafarers who bear the brunt of the risks.
by Maritime Bulgaria
